scholarly journals Myeloablative Fractionated Busulfan Conditioning Regimen with Venetoclax in Patients with AML/MDS: Prospective Phase II Clinical Trial

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 2879-2879
Author(s):  
Uday R. Popat ◽  
Rohtesh S. Mehta ◽  
Roland Bassett ◽  
Amin M. Alousi ◽  
Gheath Alatrash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Conditioning Regimen ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Scientific Advisory Board ◽  
Grant Support ◽  
Scientific Advisory ◽  
Support Research

Abstract Background: Myeloablative conditioning can be given safely to older patients by simply administering busulfan over a longer period (fractionated busulfan regimen) than the standard four-day regimen (Popat et al Lancet Haematology 2018). This longer duration of conditioning regimen allows addition of targeted agents like Venetoclax, which may be synergistic with conditioning chemotherapy and may further improve disease control with this regimen. We therefore added Venetoclax to our ongoing prospective clinical trial with f-Bu-Flu-Cladribine conditioning (NCT02250937). After enrolling 83 patients, the study was amended and venetoclax was added for the next 33 patients. Here we report the safety and preliminary efficacy of venetoclax and fractionated busulfan regimen. Methods: Between 2/2019 and 3/2021, 33 patients with AML (n=21) or MDS (n=10) up to 70 years of age with adequate organ function and 8/8-HLA matched related or unrelated donor were enrolled on a prospective trial. The conditioning regimen was f-Bu to target an area under the concentration vs time curve (AUC) of 20,000 ± 12% μmol.min given over a period of 2-3 weeks. The first two doses of busulfan (80 mg/m2 IV each) were administered either consecutively (days -13 and -12) or with further fractionation, one week apart (days -20 and -13) on outpatient basis. Then, inpatient fludarabine 10 mg/m 2, and cladribine 10 mg/m 2 were given followed by Bu on days -6 to -3. Venetoclax 400mg daily was given from day -22 to -3. Azoles were avoided during this period. GVHD prophylaxis was PTCy 50mg/kg on days 3 and 4 and tacrolimus from day 5. Results: The median age was 59 years (range, 23-69); High or very high disease risk index was present in 21%; Comorbidity index score of >3 was present in 45%; Donor was a sibling in 39%; and peripheral blood stem cells was the graft source in 100%. The median follow up was 8 months. At 1-year, overall survival was 84% (95% confidence interval, 71-100), progression-free survival 77% (64-94), relapse 13% (1-25), and non-relapse mortality 10% (0-20) [Table 1, Figure 1]. Incidence of acute GVHD grade 2-4 was 28% (12-43) and grade 3-4 acute GVHD was 3% (0-9) at day 100. All patients engrafted. The median time to neutrophil engraftment was 15 days (13 -19) and median time to platelet engraftment was 23 days (11-85). Full donor chimerism at day 30 was noted in 76%. Common grade 3 or 4 toxicity were neutropenic fever (58%), mucositis (18%) and pulmonary toxicity in 21%. Conclusion: Venetoclax can be safely added to the fractionated busulfan regimen. Early data on efficacy appear promising. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Popat: Bayer: Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding. Mehta: CSLBehring: Research Funding; Syndax: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Kadmon: Research Funding. Hosing: Nkarta Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Gulbis: EUSA Pharma: Other: Advisory board participation. Rezvani: AvengeBio: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Pharmacyclics: Other: Educational grant, Research Funding; GemoAb: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Navan Technologies: Other: Scientific Advisory Board; Bayer: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Caribou: Other: Scientific Advisory Board; Takeda: Other: License agreement and research agreement, Patents & Royalties; Virogin: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; GSK: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Affimed: Other: License agreement and research agreement; education grant, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Qazilbash: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Other: Advisory Board; Oncopeptides: Other: Advisory Board; Amgen: Research Funding; Angiocrine: Research Funding; NexImmune: Research Funding; Biolline: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding. Kadia: Cure: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy; Dalichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Cellonkos: Other; Ascentage: Other; Genfleet: Other; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy, Other: Grant/research support; Astellas: Other; Liberum: Consultancy; BMS: Other: Grant/research support; Amgen: Other: Grant/research support; Aglos: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Other; AstraZeneca: Other; AbbVie: Consultancy, Other: Grant/research support; Pulmotech: Other; Jazz: Consultancy. Konopleva: Calithera: Other: grant support, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Grant Support, Research Funding; Ascentage: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Cellectis: Other: grant support; Ablynx: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Agios: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support; Forty Seven: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Sanofi: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support, Research Funding; Novartis: Other: research funding pending, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; KisoJi: Research Funding. Shpall: Axio: Consultancy; Magenta: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Adaptimmune: Consultancy; Navan: Consultancy; Takeda: Patents & Royalties; Novartis: Honoraria; Affimed: Patents & Royalties; Magenta: Honoraria.

scholarly journals A Phase I Study of the Combination of Venetoclax and Azacitidine in Relapse/Refractory Higher Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3704-3704
Author(s):  
Sai Prasad Prasad Desikan ◽  
Guillermo Montalban-Bravo ◽  
Maro Ohanian ◽  
Naval Daver ◽  
Musa Yilmaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Phase I ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Phase I Study ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Entire Cohort ◽  
Grant Support ◽  
Support Research

Abstract Background: The prognosis of patients with HMA refractory MDS is poor with a median OS of 6 months. [Lancet Oncology Apr 2016] The combination of Azacitidine and the Bcl-2 inhibitor Venetoclax has shown significant activity in patients with previously untreated higher risk MDS (Garcia et. al ASH 2019). We hypothesize that addition of venetoclax to Azacitidine will improve outcomes of R/R higher risk MDS. Methods: The phase I study (NCT04550442) is enrolling patients aged ≥ 18 years with adequate organ function, higher risk MDS with ≥5% blasts, and R/R to HMA therapy. Patients who are R/R to HMA therapy include those who progressed on HMA after 4 cycles or those who had an initial response with subsequent relapse. Prior BCL2 inhibitor therapy and patients with lower risk disease per IPSS-R were excluded. Azacitidine was administered on Days 1-5 at a dose of 75mg/m 2 IV. Venetoclax was administered daily on days 1-14. Cytoreduction was permitted to lower the white count to ≤ 10,000/µl prior to initiation of venetoclax. A 3+3 study design was applied to the regimen as demonstrated in Table 1. Doses were adjusted based on toxicity and concomitant CYP3A4 inhibitors. Results: Ten patients have been enrolled in this study to date. Baseline characteristics are shown in Table 2. In this entire cohort, the median age was 77 years (range 67 - 81) with a median bone marrow blast of 9%. The entire cohort was enriched with adverse risk mutations such as ASXL1(60%), TP53(40%), and RUNX1(30%) with a median number of 3 mutations (range, 2-12). Median hemoglobin was 7.5mg/dL, median platelet count was 40.5K/µL, median absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 1.05K/µL, Cr 0.98mg/dL , and Bili 0.5mg/dL. No new safety signals were observed. No tumor lysis syndrome was observed. The most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events were cytopenias, predominantly neutropenia (40%) and thrombocytopenia (20%) that did not warrant dose reduction of venetoclax. Among the 10 patients enrolled, 1 patient is too early for response assessment. Among the 9 evaluable patients, the overall response rate (ORR) was 56%(n=5) with 1 patient achieving complete remission (CR) and 4 patients with marrow CR. All 3 nonresponders harbored TP53 mutation of which 2 had therapy related MDS. Among the responders, the responses were durable with a median duration of response not reached. Among the 10 patients, the 5 responders remain on therapy, one non-responder was switched to a different therapy, one patient died on day 58 due to pneumonia, and 1 patient each died due to sepsis and refractory disease respectively. At a median follow up of 5.5 months, the median overall survival was 7.1 months (range 1-9.5 months) (Figure 1). The 4- and 8-week mortality was 0% and 10% (n=1) respectively Conclusion: This study in higher risk patients with R/R MDS suggests potential benefit with the addition of Venetoclax to HMA with a 55% overall response and an OS of 7.1 months. TP53 and complex karyotypes still confer poor prognosis despite the addition of Venetoclax. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Daver: Astellas: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Trovagene: Consultancy, Research Funding; ImmunoGen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Glycomimetics: Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Hanmi: Research Funding; Sevier: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; FATE Therapeutics: Research Funding; Novimmune: Research Funding; Trillium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: Data Monitoring Committee member; Dava Oncology (Arog): Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Syndax: Consultancy; Shattuck Labs: Consultancy; Agios: Consultancy; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; SOBI: Consultancy; STAR Therapeutics: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Newave: Research Funding. Yilmaz: Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding. Konopleva: AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Grant Support, Research Funding; KisoJi: Research Funding; Sanofi: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Calithera: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Agios: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; Ascentage: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Cellectis: Other: grant support; AstraZeneca: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Ablynx: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights, Research Funding; Novartis: Other: research funding pending, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support. Kadia: Genentech: Consultancy, Other: Grant/research support; Ascentage: Other; AstraZeneca: Other; Genfleet: Other; Astellas: Other; Cellonkos: Other; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy; Pulmotech: Other; Novartis: Consultancy; Cure: Speakers Bureau; Liberum: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Other; Dalichi Sankyo: Consultancy; BMS: Other: Grant/research support; Jazz: Consultancy; Amgen: Other: Grant/research support; Aglos: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy, Other: Grant/research support. Kantarjian: Astellas Health: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ipsen Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Jazz: Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Honoraria; Aptitude Health: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Immunogen: Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Ascentage: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; KAHR Medical Ltd: Honoraria; NOVA Research: Honoraria; Precision Biosciences: Honoraria; Taiho Pharmaceutical Canada: Honoraria.

scholarly journals FLT3 Inhibitors Upregulate CXCR4 and E-Selectin Ligands and CD44 Via ERK Suppression in AML Cells, and Blockade of CXCR4 and E-Selectin Signaling with GMI-1359 Overcomes AML Resistance to Quizartinib in Vitro and In Vivo

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 1171-1171
Author(s):  
Yannan Jia ◽  
Mahesh Basyal ◽  
Lauren B Ostermann ◽  
Kyung Hee Chang ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Erk Signaling ◽  
Selectin Ligands ◽  
Grant Support ◽  
Support Research

Abstract FLT3 inhibitors (FLT3i) have had transient success treating FLT3-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, especially those with FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations that account for one-third of adult AML cases (Daver et al., 2021). However, FLT3i are typically ineffective in eliminating leukemia stem cells in the protective bone marrow (BM) microenvironmental "niche" (Borthakur et al., 2011; Cortes et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2008). Cytokines and chemokines such as CXCR4 and E-selectin ligands play a critical role in leukemia cell protection in the BM niche. Indeed, interactions of leukemic cells with their vicinal support cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial cells (ECs), in the BM niche is mediated mainly through the CXCR4/SDF-1 and E-selectin/HECA-452/CD44 axes (Erbani et al., 2020; Peled and Tavor, 2013). Therefore, evaluation of the effects of FLT3i on CXCR4 and E-selectin signaling in leukemia cells could enhance our understanding of AML FLT3i resistance mechanisms. To this end, we investigated the levels of CXCR4 and E-selectin ligands on FLT3-ITD-mutated AML cells in vitro and in vivo during FLT3i treatment (e.g., quizartinib or sorafenib), and evaluated the anti-leukemia effects of CXCR4/E-selectin blockade with the dual inhibitor GMI-1359. We first checked the effects of FLT3i on the levels of CXCR4 and E-selectin ligands, as well as CD44, in vitro in human MOLM14 AML cells, which harbor FLT3-ITD mutations. All of these were upregulated, as measured by flow cytometry, following exposure to quizartinib (p < 0.001) or sorafenib (p < 0.01) for 96 h. The mRNA levels were also increased roughly 2-fold, as measured by qPCR, suggesting transcriptional regulation was involved in the upregulation. Further, the upregulation of CXCR4 and E-selectin ligands and CD44 was time dependent (from 2 to 96 h). FLT3i profoundly suppresses activation of ERK, AKT, and Stat5 (Zhang et al., 2008). Therefore, we tested if the suppression of each signaling pathways individually could upregulate of CXCR4. Unexpectedly, 72-h suppression of MEK/ERK signaling with selumetinib or pimasertib also upregulated CXCR4 in MOLM14 cells. No effects in this regard were observed by suppressing AKT/mTOR or Stat5 with AZD8055 or STAT5-IN-1, respectively. Additionally, in Dox-inducible NRAS (G12D)-mutated MOLM13 AML cells which also harbor FLT3 ITD mutations, ERK activation by doxycycline downregulated CXCR4 levels implying the MEK/ERK signaling pathway was associated with the suppression of CXCR4. Furthermore, under BM microenvironment-mimicking, co-culture using human MSCs/ECs and MOLM14 cells, blockade of CXCR4 and/or E-selectin signaling using the CXCR4 antagonist plerixafor, the E-selectin antagonist GMI-1271, or the CXCR4 and E-selectin dual inhibitor GMI-1359 showed that GMI-1359 markedly abrogated BM protection and sensitized MOLM14 cells to quizartinib-induced apoptosis. We further validated the effect of GMI-1359 in a PDX model of AML which were from a patient who relapsed from sorafenib+E6201+DAC in clinic and showed resistant to quizartinib ex vivo. The combination of GMI-1359 with quizartinib profoundly reduced leukemia burden and extended survival of the PDX mice compared to the vehicle or the single-agent treatments (median survival was 158 days vs. 82.5, 79 and 128 days, respectively, in combination group vs. vehicle, quizartinib and GMI-1359; p < 0.0001) [Figure 1,2]. Our results suggest that FLT3i can upregulate CXCR4 and E-selectin ligands and CD44 in FLT3-ITD leukemia cells, which is mediated, at least in part, via suppression of MEK/ERK signaling. GMI-1359 sensitized AML cells to quizartinib-induced apoptosis in vitro and statistically significantly extended AML PDX mouse survival in vivo. These findings provide a pre-clinical rational for using GMI-1359 to prevent or overcome FLT3i resistance when treating FLT3-mutant AML patients. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Fogler: GlycoMimetics Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Patents & Royalties. Magnani: GlycoMimetics Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Patents & Royalties. Konopleva: Eli Lilly: Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Other: grant support, Research Funding; KisoJi: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Other: grant support, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Grant Support, Research Funding; Ablynx: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support, Research Funding; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: grant support, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support; Calithera: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Sanofi: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Novartis: Other: research funding pending, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Agios: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Cellectis: Other: grant support; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; Ascentage: Other: grant support, Research Funding. Andreeff: Senti-Bio: Consultancy; Daiichi-Sankyo: Consultancy, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Glycomimetics: Consultancy; Aptose: Consultancy; Novartis, Cancer UK; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), German Research Council; NCI-RDCRN (Rare Disease Clin Network), CLL Foundation; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Research Funding; ONO Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Reata, Aptose, Eutropics, SentiBio; Chimerix, Oncolyze: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company; Medicxi: Consultancy; Oxford Biomedica UK: Research Funding; Breast Cancer Research Foundation: Research Funding; Syndax: Consultancy.

scholarly journals Myeloablative Fractionated Busulfan Conditioning Regimen with Sorafenib in Patients with AML: Results of Phase I Clinical Trial

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 556-556
Author(s):  
Uday R. Popat ◽  
Roland Bassett ◽  
Peter F. Thall ◽  
Amin M. Alousi ◽  
Gheath Alatrash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Conditioning Regimen ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
License Agreement ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Post Transplant ◽  
Scientific Advisory Board ◽  
Scientific Advisory

Abstract Background: Myeloablative conditioning can be given safely to older patients by administering busulfan over a longer period (fractionated busulfan regimen) than the standard four-day regimen. (Popat, et al Lancet Haematology 2018). This longer conditioning regimen duration allows the addition of oral targeted agents like sorafenib, which may be synergistic with conditioning chemotherapy and thus further improve disease control. Therefore, we added sorafenib to fludarabine and fractionated busulfan regimen (f-bu) in a phase 1 dose-finding trial studying 4 different doses of sorafenib with f-bu (NCT03247088). Here we report the results of this trial. Methods: Between 3/2018 and 6/2021, 24 patients with AML aged 18 to 70 years with adequate organ function and 8/8-HLA matched related or unrelated donors were enrolled prospectively. The dose of sorafenib was varied among the four values 200, 400, 600, and 800 mg administered from day -24 to -5. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as grade 3 or higher regimen-related non-hematologic, non-infectious, non-GVHD toxicity occurring between day -24 and day 3. The Bayesian Model Averaging Continual Reassessment Method (BMA-CRM) with target DLT probability 0.30 was used to choose doses for successive cohorts of 3 patients. The first cohort was treated at the lowest sorafenib dose 200, with all successive cohorts' doses chosen adaptively by the BMA-CRM. The doses and schedules of busulfan and fludarabine were fixed, with f-Bu dose targeting an area under the concentration vs time curve (AUC) of 20,000 ± 12% μmol.min given over 3 weeks. The first two doses of busulfan (80 mg/m2 IV each) were administered on days -20 and -13 on an outpatient basis. The last four Bu doses were calculated to give a total course AUC of 20,000 ± 12% μmol.min and were given as inpatient following each dose of Flu 40 mg/m2 on days -6 through -3. GVHD prophylaxis was post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) 50mg/kg on days 3 and 4 and tacrolimus. Recipients of unrelated donor grafts also received MMF. All patients were eligible to receive post-transplant maintenance sorafenib after engraftment. Results: The median age was 52 years (range, 30-70). Disease status was CR in 16 (66.6%) patients, CRi in 5 (20.8%), and advanced in 3 (12.5%). Adverse risk karyotype was present in 10 (41.7%) patients. MRD was present in 13 (54.2%). 9 (38%) had mutated flt3. The donor was unrelated in 14 (58%), and peripheral blood stem cells were the graft source in 21(87.5%). Due to the absence of DLTs, the BMA-CRM assigned 200mg, 400mg, 600mg, and 800mg of sorafenib, respectively, to the first 4 cohorts, and the next 4 cohorts were given 800mg. Only 2 dose-limiting skin toxicities were seen, one in cohort 3 with 600mg of sorafenib and the second in cohort 6 with 800mg of sorafenib. 800mg was the final recommended phase 2 dose. The median follow-up in 20 surviving patients was 7.6 months and 1-year progression free survival was 89% (95% CI 75-100%). Other outcomes are summarized in Table 1. Conclusion: Sorafenib can be safely added to the fractionated busulfan regimen. Early data on efficacy appear promising, with an 89% PFS at 1 year of follow up. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Popat: Bayer: Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding. Hosing: Nkarta Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Rezvani: Bayer: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; AvengeBio: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Navan Technologies: Other: Scientific Advisory Board; GSK: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Virogin: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Affimed: Other: License agreement and research agreement; education grant, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Other: Educational grant, Research Funding; Caribou: Other: Scientific Advisory Board; GemoAb: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Takeda: Other: License agreement and research agreement, Patents & Royalties. Qazilbash: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Other: Advisory Board; Biolline: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Oncopeptides: Other: Advisory Board; NexImmune: Research Funding; Angiocrine: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding. Daver: Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; ImmunoGen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astellas: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Trillium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Glycomimetics: Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Hanmi: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; FATE Therapeutics: Research Funding; Sevier: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novimmune: Research Funding; Trovagene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: Data Monitoring Committee member; Dava Oncology (Arog): Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Syndax: Consultancy; Shattuck Labs: Consultancy; Agios: Consultancy; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; SOBI: Consultancy; STAR Therapeutics: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Newave: Research Funding. Ravandi: Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Jazz: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Xencor: Honoraria, Research Funding; Taiho: Honoraria, Research Funding; Astex: Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Agios: Honoraria, Research Funding; Prelude: Research Funding; Syros Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Shpall: Magenta: Consultancy; Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Magenta: Honoraria; Adaptimmune: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Navan: Consultancy; Novartis: Honoraria; Takeda: Patents & Royalties; Affimed: Patents & Royalties; Axio: Consultancy. Mehta: CSLBehring: Research Funding; Kadmon: Research Funding; Syndax: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding.

Allogeneic Transplantation for Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide: Assessing the Importance of Conditioning Regimen, Donor Choice, and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Use

Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 44-45
Author(s):  
Jonathan Webster ◽  
Leo Luznik ◽  
Hua-Ling Tsai ◽  
Philip H. Imus ◽  
Amy E. DeZern ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Conditioning Regimen ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Post Transplant ◽  
Scientific Advisory Board ◽  
Scientific Advisory ◽  
Donor Type

Background: Contemporary trials in adult Ph+ ALL patients with TKIs continue to show improved outcomes with allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT) in first remission (CR1) (Chalandon. Blood. 2015 AND Ravandi. Blood Adv. 2016). These studies have relied on myeloablative conditioning (MAC) and largely required an HLA-matched donor. Post-transplant survival in Ph+ ALL has been shown to be similar between patients transplanted with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) and MAC, but the incidence of relapse after RIC is higher (Bachanova. Leukemia. 2014). Post-transplant TKI maintenance reduces the incidence of relapse (Brissot. Haematologica. 2015), but this strategy has not specifically been investigated after RIC. Additionally, HLA-haploidentical donor transplants using post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) as a component of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis have comparable outcomes to HLA-matched transplants (McCurdy. Haematologica. 2017). We analyzed outcomes among patients who universally received PTCy and attempted post-transplant TKI prophylaxis to determine the importance of remission status (CR1 vs. later), conditioning regimen, donor type, and TKI choice. Methods: The bone marrow transplant database at Johns Hopkins was queried for adult patients with de novo Ph+ ALL who received alloBMT using PTCy between January 2008 and August 2018. Characteristics of patients were summarized and compared using the student's T test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. Estimators of OS and RFS were reported using the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences in time-to-event outcomes were estimated using Cox proportional hazards model. Results: A total of 81 transplants for Ph+ ALL were performed: 69 (85%) in CR1 and 12 (15%) in second or greater remission (CR2+). The demographics are presented in Table 1 and separated by conditioning regimen [MAC vs. nonmyeloablative (NMAC)] for transplants in CR1. The cumulative incidences of grade 2-4 and grade 3-4 aGVHD at 1 year were 33% (95% CI, 23% to 44%) and 9% (95% CI, 3% to 15%), respectively. The incidence of moderate or severe cGVHD at 2 years was 8% (95% CI, 2% to 13%). Nearly all patients (91.4%) initiated a post-transplant TKI at a median of 56 days. Overall, 44.4% of patients were able to take a TKI on ≥85% of nonrelapse days from day 31-395 post-transplant. AlloBMT in CR1 (compared to CR2+) improved RFS (HR=0.25, p=0.0002) and pre-transplant minimal residual disease (MRD) by flow cytometry (MFC) was associated with decreased RFS (HR=2.57, p=0.039). The presence of pre-transplant MRD by PCR did not confer an increased risk of relapse (HR 1.12, p=0.84). Among the 69 patients transplanted in CR1, the 5-year OS was 77.6% (95% CI, 64.8% to 86.2%) and RFS was 67% (95% CI, 52.4-76.5%). As shown in Figure 1, the use of NMAC versus MAC (HR 0.37, p=0.02) and dasatinib versus imatinib at diagnosis (HR 0.21, p=0.007) led to improved relapse-free survival (RFS) in univariate analyses. Neither donor type (with the majority being haploidentical) nor recipient age ≥60 affected RFS. Post-transplant TKI prophylaxis was discontinued prior to relapse in 20 patients among whom 12 remain in an MRD-negative remission, 4 died of non-relapse causes, 3 relapsed, and 1 developed recurrent MRD controlled by a TKI. The median duration of post-transplant TKI prophylaxis prior to discontinuation was 46.5 months in those who remain in treatment-free remission versus 15.6 months in those who relapsed (p=0.01). Eighteen relapses occurred on maintenance therapy, and 90% of tested cases were positive for a kinase domain mutation conferring resistance to the TKI in use at relapse. No significant difference in the median time to TKI initiation post-transplant was noted between those who relapsed on maintenance and those who did not (70 days vs. 55 days, p=0.6). All patients in ongoing remission were MRD-negative by PCR at their most recent evaluation. Conclusions: AlloBMT with PTCy in Ph+ ALL was most effective when performed in CR1 with negative MFC for MRD. The initiation of post-transplant TKI prophylaxis was nearly universal. Among patients transplanted in CR1, the best results were achieved in patients treated with dasatinib at diagnosis (5-year RFS 83%) and NMAC (5-year RFS 73.1%). Thus post-transplant TKI prophylaxis appeared to overcome any relapse control advantage for MAC, yielding better outcomes with NMAC. Disclosures Webster: Amgen: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Luznik:WindMil Therapeutics: Patents & Royalties: Patent holder; Genentech: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy. DeZern:Abbvie: Consultancy; Astex: Research Funding; MEI: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Pratz:Jazz Pharmaceutical: Consultancy; Millennium: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; Agios: Other: Scientific Advisory Board, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: Scientific Advisory Board; Boston BioMedical: Consultancy; Astellas: Other: Scientific Advisory Board, Research Funding; AbbVie: Other: Scientific Advisory Board, Research Funding. Levis:Astellas: Honoraria, Research Funding; Menarini: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; FujiFilm: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Honoraria. Gojo:Amgen: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amphivena: Research Funding. Bolanos-Meade:Incyte: Other: DSMB Fees. Dalton:Eli Lilly: Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding. Jain:Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol Myer Squibb: Other: for advisory board participation; CareDx: Other: Advisory Board. Ali:Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Borrello:Celgene: Research Funding; Aduro: Patents & Royalties; WindMIL Therapeutics: Other: Founder , Research Funding. Wagner-Johnston:ADC Therapeutics, Regeneron, CALIB-R, Verastem: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Smith:Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

scholarly journals Enhanced p53 Activation By Dual Inhibition of MDM2 and XPO1 Disrupts MYC Transcriptional Program and Restores Sensitivity to BCL-2 Inhibition in Ven/HMA Resistant AML

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 505-505
Author(s):  
Yuki Nishida ◽  
Jo Ishizawa ◽  
Edward Ayoub ◽  
Tallie Patsilevas ◽  
Lauren Ostermann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Triple Combination ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Grant Support ◽  
Dual Inhibition ◽  
Support Research

Abstract The BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax (ven) in combination with hypomethylating agents (HMA) has revolutionized acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy. However, the majority of patients with AML who received ven/HMA eventually relapse and cures are still elusive. We previously generated ven-resistant MV4;11 (MV4;11 VR) cells and found them to express elevated c-Myc protein levels. The dual inhibition of MDM2 and XPO1 significantly increased nuclear p53 protein and dramatically upregulated p53 target genes. On the other hand, dual inhibition of MDM2 and XPO1 profoundly decreased c-Myc protein levels in a p53-dependent manner, resulting in the profound downregulation of MYC transcriptional program. Clinical grade MDM2 and XPO1 inhibitors milademetan (mil) and selinexor (sel) significantly reduced leukemia burden and prolonged survival in the xenograft model injected with MV4;11 VR cells. However, the treatment effect did not result in very long relapse free responses. To investigate potential resistance mechanisms to dual inhibition of MDM2 and XPO1, we utilized our previously reported (Muftuoglu, ASH 2020) multiparameter flow cytometry to assess multiple stress responses pathways including p21, ATF4, PARP, LC3B, Ki-67, active caspase-3 and amine-reactive viability dye at the single cell level in ven-resistant AML cells. We found that residual cells, after combined MDM2 and XPO1 inhibition, expressed high levels of p21, ATF4 and LC3B and low Ki-67 levels, suggesting that the resistant population is in a cell kinetic quiescent state with activation of autophagy and ER stress. Interestingly, ven-resistant MV4;11 cells with in vivo acquired resistance to dual inhibition of MDM2 and XPO1 demonstrated elevated protein levels of respiratory chain complex proteins (NDUFB8, MTCO1, UQCRC2 and ATP5A), suggesting increased OXPHOS dependency. Intriguingly, these MV4;11VR cells with subsequently acquired resistance to MDM2 and XPO1 inhibition in vivo have restored sensitivity to ven. We previously reported that the combination of MDM2 and BCL-2 inhibitors induces synergistic apoptosis through the elimination of dormant p21 high residual AML cell (Pan, Cancer Cell 2017). In a clinical trial of Idasanutlin + Venetoclax we observed over 45% response rates in relapsed/refractory AML patients (Daver, ASH 2020). Therefore, we hypothesized that combining MDM2/XPO1 inhibition with BCL-2 inhibition further induces cell killing in ven/HMA resistant AML cells. To address this, we treated ven-resistant AML cells with triple combination of mil, sel and ven, resulting in a profound cytoreduction in vitro compared with other single and doublet treatments. Next, we treated NSG mice injected with PDX AML cells with FLT3-ITD, GATA2 and NRAS mutations obtained from a patient who relapsed after ven/decitabine treatment. The doublet combinations especially of mil + ven reduced circulating blasts and significantly prolonged survival. Of note, no mice have died at day 180 after treatment in the group receiving triple combination of mil, ven and sel, with profound and sustained cytoreduction (more than 2 log 10 difference) and significantly prolonged survival compared with any other treatment (Fig. A, B). The triple combination was well-tolerated and did not decrease mouse CD45+ cells, platelets and hemoglobin. In conclusion, the concomitant inhibition of MDM2, XPO1 and BCL-2 was feasible and exerted dramatic and sustained anti-leukemia activity in ven/HMA resistant AML cell in vitro and in vivo. Milademetan (RAIN-32) is currently being developed by Rain Therapeutics. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Carter: Syndax: Research Funding; Ascentage: Research Funding. Daver: Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: Data Monitoring Committee member; Novartis: Consultancy; Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; ImmunoGen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Trillium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Glycomimetics: Research Funding; Sevier: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astellas: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novimmune: Research Funding; Hanmi: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Trovagene: Consultancy, Research Funding; FATE Therapeutics: Research Funding; Dava Oncology (Arog): Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Syndax: Consultancy; Shattuck Labs: Consultancy; Agios: Consultancy; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; SOBI: Consultancy; STAR Therapeutics: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Newave: Research Funding. Lesegretain: Daiichi-Sankyo Inc.: Current Employment. Seki: Daiichi-Sankyo Inc.: Current Employment. Shacham: Karyopharm: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Patents & Royalties: (8999996, 9079865, 9714226, PCT/US12/048319, and I574957) on hydrazide containing nuclear transport modulators and uses, and pending patents PCT/US12/048319, 499/2012, PI20102724, and 2012000928) . Konopleva: Ascentage: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Eli Lilly: Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights, Research Funding; Novartis: Other: research funding pending, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; AstraZeneca: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: grant support, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Grant Support, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Cellectis: Other: grant support; Calithera: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Agios: Other: grant support, Research Funding; KisoJi: Research Funding; Ablynx: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; Sanofi: Other: grant support, Research Funding. Andreeff: Medicxi: Consultancy; Glycomimetics: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Syndax: Consultancy; Amgen: Research Funding; Oxford Biomedica UK: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Breast Cancer Research Foundation: Research Funding; Novartis, Cancer UK; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), German Research Council; NCI-RDCRN (Rare Disease Clin Network), CLL Foundation; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Senti-Bio: Consultancy; Reata, Aptose, Eutropics, SentiBio; Chimerix, Oncolyze: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company; ONO Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Aptose: Consultancy.

scholarly journals Accumulation of Intracellular L-Lactate and Irreversible Disruption of Mitochondrial Membrane Potential upon Dual Inhibition of Oxphos and Lactate Transporter MCT-1 Induce Synthetic Lethality in T-ALL Via Mitochondrial Exhaustion

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 680-680
Author(s):  
Natalia Baran ◽  
Shraddha Patel ◽  
Alessia Lodi ◽  
Jose Enriquez Ortiz ◽  
Yogesh Dhungana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Complex I ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Mitochondrial Membrane ◽  
Synthetic Lethality ◽  
Grant Support ◽  
Support Research

Abstract Metabolic reprogramming is recognized as one of the key hallmarks in acquiring aggressive phenotype and chemoresistance in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. We have previously demonstrated that T-ALL are characterized by significant dependency on oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) with ability to utilize glutamine either in oxidative or reductive directions of TCA cycle, when mitochondria are blocked by Complex I Inhibitor (Baran N, et al. ASH 2020). To survive upon Complex I blockade leukemic cells require functional monocarboxylate transporter MCT1, that enables excretion of lactate and permissive pyruvate flux (Fig.1 a). Here we show that metabolic intervention utilizing OxPhos blockade can be potentiated by targeting MCT1 transporter and propose a novel metabolic synthetic lethality that could be exploited to eradicate T-ALL and other OxPhos-dependent malignancies. We first demonstrated that Complex I inhibition leads to increased MCT1 expression; on the contrary, MCT1 transporter blockade forces cells to increase OxPhos. In turn, the combinatorial therapy with Complex I inhibitor (IACS-010759) and MCT1 inhibitor (AZD3965) causes loss of ATP content (Fig. 1b), significant reduction of cell number and massive induction of apoptosis. Mechanistically, the combination treatment further reduced oxygen consumption rate (OCR) (Fig. 1c) and increased extracellular acidification rate, as measured by Seahorse. In concert with those results, dual inhibition led to TCA blockade, accumulation of intracellular lactate and depletion of glutamine, cystathionine and glutathione, indicating severe disruption of redox balance as measured by mass spectrometry and confirmed by significant accumulation of intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Fig. 1d), loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ) (Fig. 1e) and subsequent mitochondria swelling. RNAseq data showed simultaneous upregulation of glycolysis and glutathione-related processes as possible mechanisms of metabolic compensation, yet strong upregulation of genes regulating apoptosis related to mitochondria dysfunction (Fig. 1f). Real-time hyperpolarized MRI based metabolic imaging studies with [1-13C]-pyruvate in patient-derived xenografts in vivo revealed significant decrease of lactate-to-pyruvate ratio in mice treated with AZD3965 or IACS-010759 alone, and in mice treated with drug combination. [13C]-Glucose isotope tracing analysis in patient-derived xenografts in vivo revealed an increased intracellular trapping of lactate as a marker of treatment effectiveness in mice subjected to dual blockade. While MCT1 inhibition induced only moderate reduction of leukemia growth in vitro and tumor burden in vivo, combination with IACS-010759 depleted significantly both, circulating and marrow/spleen/liver resident leukemia cells. Mechanistically, inhibition of MCT1 by AZD3965 therapy in leukemia-bearing mice led to lactate accumulation, OCR increase, moderate ROS production and mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarization, while Complex I blockade resulted in upregulation of MCT-1, reduction of OCR, lactate production and increase of ROS ; consequently, combinatorial therapy caused complete mitochondria shut-down and drastic inhibition of tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo in two xenografts models and led to significant extension of overall survival (p<0.0001) (Fig. 1g). In summary, these results demonstrate a novel synthetic vulnerability of concomitant blockade of OxPhos and MCT-1, uncovering metabolic checkpoints that can ultimately translate into successful therapies in T-ALL and OxPhos-dependent malignancies. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Skwarska: Halilovich E, Wang Y, Morris E, Konopleva M, Skwarska A.: Patents & Royalties: Combination of a MCL-1 inhibitor and midostaurin, uses and pharmaceutical composition thereof.. Konopleva: Reata Pharmaceuticals: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights, Research Funding; Ascentage: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support, Research Funding; Ablynx: Other: grant support, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Other: grant support, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Grant Support, Research Funding; Novartis: Other: research funding pending, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Cellectis: Other: grant support; Sanofi: Other: grant support, Research Funding; KisoJi: Research Funding; Calithera: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Agios: Other: grant support, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support.

scholarly journals Diverse Mechanisms of Resistance to Decitabine and Venetoclax Therapy in Newly Diagnosed and Relapsed/Refractory AML Inferred By Transcriptome Analysis

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 2244-2244
Author(s):  
Kotoko Yamatani ◽  
Yoko Tabe ◽  
Abhishek Maiti ◽  
Tomohiko Ai ◽  
Kaori Saito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Atp Hydrolysis ◽  
Tgf Beta ◽  
Grant Support ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Support Research

Abstract A selective BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax synergizes with hypomethylating agents (HMA). Combination of venetoclax plus HMAs (decitabine or azacitidine) is FDA approved for the treatment of high-risk newly-diagnosed (ND) AML including older patients and patients unfit intensive chemotherapy. We have reported that combination of venetoclax with ten-day HMA decitabine (DEC10-VEN, NCT03404193) demonstrated high efficacy in ND AML patients, with lower overall response rates in relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML. Specifically, the complete remission (CR/CRi) rates were 84% in ND AML and 42% in R/R AML (DiNardo et al. Lancet Haematol. 2020). The determinants of reduced efficacy in the R/R compared to ND AML are not defined. To characterize the transcriptomic signatures associated with response or resistance to DEC10-VEN in ND vs R/R AML, we performed RNA-seq analysis on samples from genetically diverse 24 AML patients treated on DEC10-VEN clinical trial. The pre-treatment samples from 11 ND patients, including 6 patients who achieved CR/CRi and 5 who failed to respond or subsequently relapsed (non-responders, NR); and from 9 R/R patients, 3 patients who achieved CR/CRi and 6 NR, have been analyzed with a NovaSeq 6000 platform. We first performed the comparative analysis of NR vs CR/CRi cases using pre-treatment samples. In ND AML patients 113 genes were higher and 62 genes were lower, and in R/R group 33 genes were higher and 69 genes were lower, in non-responders than in CR/CRi patients (log fold-change >|2|, FDR < 0.05). In ND AML, the top functional processes identified by Gene Ontology (GO) analysis (FDR < 0.05) in non-responders were genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and cell migration/adhesion, such as upregulation of OXPHOS/energy metabolism-associated genes MT-CO3, COX6B2, NADK and cell-to-cell interactions mediator TSHBS1. In contrast, R/R AML patients that failed to achieve the response had lower transcriptomic signatures of genes associated with immune system such as TLR8, FCER2, TNFAIP3, CCR7, compared to responders. Recently, HMAs have been reported to activate silenced endogenous retroviral (ERV) elements regulated by epigenetic modifications, followed by upregulation of interferon-response genes and activation of energy metabolism through ATP hydrolysis (Fresquet et al. Cancer Discovery, 2021). ERVs re-activation may have dual opposing role in malignant cells including leukemia: (1) inducing "immunogenic cell death" by mounting innate antiviral immune responses; and (2) promoting carcinogenesis through activation of Notch signaling and fostering tumor cell proliferation with energy consumption. We analyzed transcription of 45 well-annotated ERV in 9 samples of 6 pre- and 3 post- DEC10-VEN treatment in R/R AML patients who failed to respond. The differential expression analysis with the custom-built ERV reference genome by STAR demonstrated ERVFRD, HERVK-27 and ERVK3-1 as significantly upregulated after DEC10-VEN treatment. Of note, HERV-K27 is one of human cancer-associated HERV-K proviruses. GO analysis demonstrated that these 3 ERVs are positively associated with innate immune system, Notch, Wnt, TGF beta signaling pathways and fatty acid oxidation. To further determine the potential function of ERVs, we investigated the upregulated genes after DEC10-VEN treatment in R/R AML that failed to respond. The top 10 significantly upregulated GO terms were dominated by immune response and cytoplasmic translation, associated with upregulation of ATP hydrolysis activating gene TNNT1, interferon simulated gene TNFAIP3, Notch1 regulating CAMK2A, TGF beta regulating SMAD7, and endogenous RNA MUEOV that promotes tumor metastasis through TGF beta signaling. Taken together, our transcriptomic analysis suggests that diverse pathways may contribute to the development of resistance to DEC10-VEN in AML cells in ND and R/R patients. In ND patients, high OXPHOS and microenvironment confer resistance to therapy. In R/R AML, baseline immune suppression is aided by the ERVs reactivation by DEC10-VEN therapy, which in turn may promote ATP consumption, energy metabolism, and Notch signaling (Figure 1). These findings are currently being validated and may identify novel mechanisms of resistance to DEC10-VEN treatment in ND and R/R AML. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures DiNardo: Foghorn: Honoraria, Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ImmuneOnc: Honoraria, Research Funding; Forma: Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Agios/Servier: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Notable Labs: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria. Konopleva: Ablynx: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support, Research Funding; Cellectis: Other: grant support; KisoJi: Research Funding; Calithera: Other: grant support, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Grant Support, Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights, Research Funding; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: grant support, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support; Forty Seven: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Ascentage: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Agios: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Sanofi: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Novartis: Other: research funding pending, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights.

scholarly journals Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Versus Tacrolimus and Methotrexate to Prevent Graft-Versus-Host Disease in Recipients of Matched Donor Transplantation: Comparison of Sequential Cohorts in a Prospective Trial

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 1803-1803
Author(s):  
Uday R. Popat ◽  
Rohtesh S. Mehta ◽  
Roland Bassett ◽  
Amin M. Alousi ◽  
Gheath Alatrash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Funding ◽  
Acute Gvhd ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
License Agreement ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Post Transplant ◽  
Scientific Advisory Board ◽  
Gvhd Prophylaxis ◽  
Scientific Advisory ◽  
Matched Donor

Abstract Background: Myeloablative conditioning can be given safely to older patients by simply administering busulfan over a longer period (fractionated busulfan regimen) than our "standard" four-day fludarabine-busulfan (Flu-Bu) regimen. (Popat et al Lancet Haematology 2018). To further improve outcomes of this fractionated (f-Bu) regimen in patients undergoing matched donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), we added cladribine (Clad) to f-Bu-Flu regimen in a prospective clinical trial (NCT02250937). GVHD prophylaxis was tacrolimus and methotrexate (Tac/MTX). After enrolling the first 29 patients, the study was amended and GVHD prophylaxis was changed to post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and tacrolimus for the next 53 patients based on very promising data observed in patients undergoing haploidentical transplantation. We hypothesized that PTCy will reduce GVHD and non-relapse mortality (NRM), thus improving survival in patients undergoing HCT from a matched donor. In this study, we compared these two sequential cohorts with reference to GVHD prophylaxis. Methods: Between 2/2015 and 12/2018, 82 patients with AML or MDS, 18-70 years of age, with adequate organ function and 8/8-HLA matched related (n=38%) or unrelated (62%) donors were enrolled. The conditioning regimen was f-Bu to target an area under the concentration vs time curve (AUC) of 20,000 ± 12% μmol.min given over a period of 2-3 weeks. The first two doses of busulfan (80 mg/m2 IV each) were administered either consecutively (days -13 and -12) or with further fractionation, one week apart (days -20 and -13) on outpatient basis. Then, inpatient fludarabine 10 mg/m 2, and cladribine 10 mg/m 2 were given followed by Bu on days -6 to -3. GVHD prophylaxis was Tac/Mtx (n=29) or PTCy 50mg/kg on days 3 and 4 followed by tacrolimus from day 5 (n=53). Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between the PTCy and Tac/Mtx cohorts. The median age was 59 (range, 18-70) and 61 (range, 24-70) years (P=0.20); 49% and 59% had primary induction failure at HCT (P=0.58); High or very-high disease risk index was present in 40% and 41%, (P=0.40); Comorbidity index score >3 was present in 42% and 40% (P=0.24); Donor was a sibling in 34% and 45% (P=0.35), and peripheral blood graft was used in 81% and 76% (P=0.58), respectively in PTCy and Tac/Mtx cohorts. Median follow up was 42.7 months. In the PTCy and Tac/Mtx cohorts, at 3-years overall survival was 69% vs 38% (P=0.0004), NRM was 8% vs 28% (P=0.009) [Table 1, Figure 1], incidence of grade 3-4 acute GVHD at day 100 was 4% vs 17% (P=0.04), and chronic GVHD was 21% vs 28% at 3 years (P=0.53). Median time to neutrophil engraftment was prolonged by 3 days with PTCy (15 vs 12 days; P<0.0001). Full donor chimerism at day 30 was noted in 81% vs 28%, in the PTCy and Tac/Mtx cohorts respectively, (P=0.005). The toxicity profile was similar except neutropenic fever (likely cytokine-related) was higher in PTCy group (60% v/s 24%, P=0.002). Likewise, the incidence of hemorrhagic cystitis was higher in the PTCy group (36% vs 14%, p-0.04). Most of the later events were grade 1 or 2. Conclusion: Compared with Tac/Mtx, PTCy reduced severe acute GVHD and NRM, and improved survival in AML/MDS patients up to the age of 70 years who received myeloablative fractionated busulfan conditioning and transplant from a matched donor. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Popat: Bayer: Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding. Mehta: CSLBehring: Research Funding; Kadmon: Research Funding; Syndax: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding. Hosing: Nkarta Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Rezvani: Navan Technologies: Other: Scientific Advisory Board; Caribou: Other: Scientific Advisory Board; GemoAb: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; GSK: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Pharmacyclics: Other: Educational grant, Research Funding; Bayer: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; Takeda: Other: License agreement and research agreement, Patents & Royalties; Affimed: Other: License agreement and research agreement; education grant, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Virogin: Other: Scientific Advisory Board ; AvengeBio: Other: Scientific Advisory Board . Qazilbash: Janssen: Research Funding; Biolline: Research Funding; Oncopeptides: Other: Advisory Board; NexImmune: Research Funding; Angiocrine: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Other: Advisory Board. Kadia: Liberum: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Other; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy; Genfleet: Other; Pulmotech: Other; Dalichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy, Other: Grant/research support; Amgen: Other: Grant/research support; Astellas: Other; Jazz: Consultancy; Aglos: Consultancy; Ascentage: Other; Cellonkos: Other; Novartis: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Other; AbbVie: Consultancy, Other: Grant/research support; BMS: Other: Grant/research support; Cure: Speakers Bureau. Kantarjian: BMS: Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; KAHR Medical Ltd: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Jazz: Research Funding; Precision Biosciences: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Aptitude Health: Honoraria; Immunogen: Research Funding; Ascentage: Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; NOVA Research: Honoraria; Ipsen Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Astellas Health: Honoraria; Astra Zeneca: Honoraria; Taiho Pharmaceutical Canada: Honoraria. Shpall: Adaptimmune: Consultancy; Magenta: Consultancy; Novartis: Honoraria; Affimed: Patents & Royalties; Navan: Consultancy; Magenta: Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy; Takeda: Patents & Royalties; Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Axio: Consultancy.

scholarly journals Targeting DNA2 Overcomes Myeloma Cells' Metabolic Reprogramming in Response to DNA Damage

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 1573-1573
Author(s):  
Natthakan Thongon ◽  
Andrea Santoni ◽  
Jintan Liu ◽  
Natalia Baran ◽  
Feiyang Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Damage ◽  
Dna Repair ◽  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Oxidative Dna Damage ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Grant Support ◽  
Support Research

Abstract DNA damage resistance is a major barrier to effective DNA-damaging anticancer therapy in multiple myeloma (MM). To discover novel mechanisms through which MM cells overcome DNA damage, we investigated how MM cells become resistant to antisense therapy targeting ILF2, an important DNA damage regulator in MM (Marchesini et. al., Cancer Cell 2017). We continuously treated JJN3 and KMS11 cells with an ILF2-targeting antisense oligonucleotide (ILF2 ASOs) or control non-targeting antisense oligonucleotide (NT ASOs). Whereas KMS11 cells maintained a high level of DNA damage activation and a significantly increased rate of apoptosis after 3 weeks of ILF2 ASOs treatment, JJN3 cells overcame ILF2 ASO-induced DNA damage activation and became resistant to ILF2 ASOs treatment. To evaluate whether continuous ILF2 ASOs exposure could lead to the selection of MM clones intrinsically resistant to ILF2 ASO-induced DNA damage, we performed single-cell RNA seq (scRNA-seq) analysis of JJN3 cells treated with NT or ILF2 ASOs for 3 weeks. Our analysis divided JJN3 cells into 2 main clusters that were independent of treatment (Fig. 1A), suggesting that persistent exposure to ILF2 ASOs did not induce clonal selection. Differential gene expression analysis of NT ASO- and ILF2 ASO-treated cells in each of these clusters revealed that DNA damage resistant ILF2 ASO-treated cells had significantly upregulated oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), DNA repair signaling, and reactive oxidative species (ROS). Consistent with these results, metabolomic analysis of JJN3 cells after long-term exposure to ILF2-ASOs showed a significant enrichment of tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) intermediates (Fig. 1B). ILF2-ASO-resistant MM cells were significantly more sensitive to the OXPHOS inhibitor IACS-010759 than ILF2-ASO-sensitive cells were. These data suggest that MM cells can undergo an adaptive metabolic rewiring to restore energy balance and promote survival in response to DNA damage. We then hypothesized that ILF2-ASO-resistant cells' metabolic reprogramming relies on the repair of DNA damage induced by ILF2 depletion or by the generation of ROS from activated mitochondrial metabolism and that targeting DNA repair proteins involved in these processes overcomes DNA damage resistance. We used a CRISPR/Cas9 library screening strategy to identify DNA repair genes whose loss of function suppresses MM cells' ability to overcome ILF2-ASO-induced DNA damage. Compared with those in NT-ASO-treated cells, DNA2-targeting sgRNAs were significantly depleted after 3 weeks of treatment in ILF2-ASO-treated JJN3 cells but not in ILF2-ASO-treated KMS11 cells. These data suggest that DNA2 is needed to promote resistance to ILF2 depletion. Accordingly, the DNA2 inhibitor NSC105808 (NSC) significantly enhanced ILF2-ASO-induced apoptosis in JJN3 cells. These data gain added significance in light of previous findings that DNA2 is a nuclear and mitochondrial DNA nuclease/helicase that enables cancer cells to counteract the DNA replication stress and mitochondrial oxidative DNA damage induced by DNA-damaging agents. Accordingly, we observed that DNA2 was mainly localized into the mitochondria of MM cells. To dissect the mechanisms of DNA2 inhibition-induced synthetic lethality, we evaluated whether DNA2 activity is essential to maintain activated OXPHOS, which ILF2-ASO-resistant cells require to survive. The quantification of mitochondrial respiratory activity in NT-ASO-and ILF2-ASO-treated MM cells exposed to NSC for 72 hours showed that DNA2 activity inhibition significantly decreased the oxygen consumption rate while increasing ROS production in only ILF2-depleted cells. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that NSC-treated ILF2-depleted cells had fragmented mitochondrial cristae structures, whose perturbations affect the OXPHOS system structure and impair cell metabolism. These data suggest that DNA2 is essential to counteract oxidative DNA damage and maintain mitochondrial respiration after MM cells' metabolic reprogramming. In conclusion, our study has revealed a novel mechanism through which MM cells can overcome DNA damage activation. Further studies will clarify whether targeting DNA2 is synthetically lethal in tumors with increased demand of mitochondrial metabolism. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Konopleva: Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Grant Support, Research Funding; Sanofi: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Ablynx: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Agios: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Cellectis: Other: grant support; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Calithera: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Other: grant support, Research Funding; Ascentage: Other: grant support, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Other: grant support, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: grant support; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; Novartis: Other: research funding pending, Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights; Eli Lilly: Patents & Royalties: intellectual property rights, Research Funding; KisoJi: Research Funding.

scholarly journals Secreted Factors Determine Resistance to Idelalisib in Marginal Zone Lymphoma Models of Resistance

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 2569-2569
Author(s):  
Alberto J Arribas ◽  
Sara Napoli ◽  
Eugenio Gaudio ◽  
Luciano Cascione ◽  
Alessandra Di Veroli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
B Cell ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
Institutional Research ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Scientific Advisory Board ◽  
Scientific Advisory ◽  
Erbb Signaling ◽  
Travel Grant

Background . PI3Kδ is expressed in B-cells and has a central role in the B-cell receptor signaling in B-cell derived malignancies. Idelalisib was the first-in-class PI3Kδ inhibitors and several second-generation compounds are undergoing clinical investigation as single agents and in combinations. To identify modalities to overcome the resistance that develops to this class of agents, we have developed two idelalisib-resistant models derived from splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) cell lines. Materials and Methods. Cells were kept under idelalisib (IC90) until acquisition of resistance (RES) or with no drug (parental, PAR). Stable resistance was confirmed by MTT assay after 2-weeks of drug-free culture. Multi-drug resistance phenotype was ruled out. Cells underwent transcriptome and miRNA profiling by RNA-Seq, whole exome sequencing (WES), lipidomics profiling, pharmacological screening (348 compounds), and FACS analysis. Cytokines and growth factor secretion was performed by ELISA. Results. Two RES models were obtained from VL51 and Karpas1718 with 7-10 fold times higher IC50s than PAR counterparts. In both models, conditioned media from RES cells transferred the resistance in the PAR cells. While WES did not identify somatic mutations associated with resistance, RNA-Seq and lipidomics analyses showed that the two cell lines had developed resistance activating different modalities. The VL51 RES model showed an enrichment in BCR-TLR-NFkB (TLR4, CD19, SYK), IL6-STAT3 (IL6, CD44), chemokines (CXCL10, CXCR4, CXCR3) and PDGFR (PDGFRA, PRKCE) signatures, paired with increased p-AKT and p-BTK levels, decreased cardiolipins and sphingomyelins levels, and increased levels of specific triacylglycerols and glycerophosphocholines. In particular, there was an over-expression of surface expression of PDGFRA and secretion of IL6 in the medium. Silencing of both IL6and PDGFRA by siRNAs reverted the resistance, while the silencing of the individual genes had only a partial effect. These data were paired with the acquired sensitivity to the PDGFR inhibitor masitinib, identified in the pharmacologic screening. In the Karpas1718 model, we observed an increased p-AKT activity with an enrichment for B-cell activation signatures (RAG1, RAG2, TCL1A), proliferation (E2F2, MKI67), ERBB signaling (HBEGF, NRG2, ERRB4), increased levels of some triacylglycerols and repressed levels for specific glycerophosphocholines. HBEGF secretion was confirmed by ELISA. The addition of recombinant HBEGF to the medium induced resistance in the PAR cells. Combination with the pan ERBB inhibitor lapatinib was beneficial in the K1718 RES. Recombinant HBEGF also induced resistance to the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib in the PAR cells and in the mantle cell lymphoma SP-53 cell line. Specific members of the let-7 family of miRNAs were repressed in the RES lines derived from both cell lines, indicating the involvement of miRNA deregulation in the mechanism of resistance. Indeed, let-7 members are known to directly target IL6-STAT3 and cytokine signaling cascade, as well PI3K-AKT network. In solid tumors, let-7 members are also expressed at low levels in tumors with constitutive active ERBB signaling, in accordance with the activation of ERBB pathway and p-AKT we observed in our Karpas1718model. Experiments with a LIN28B inhibitor are now on-going. Finally, we validated the findings across a panel of 34 B-cell lymphoma cell lines, in which IL6, PDGFRA, HBEGF and LIN28 expression levels were negatively correlated with idelalisib sensitivity, while the latter was positively correlated with let-7 levels (P <0.05). Conclusions. We developed two distinct models derived from MZL of secondary resistance to the PI3Kδ inhibitor idelalisib. We identified treatments that might overcome resistance to idelalisib and are worth of further investigations. The two models, driven by different biologic processes, will allow the evaluation of further alternative therapeutic approaches. Disclosures Stathis: PharmaMar: Other: Renumeration; ADC Therapeutics: Other: Institutional research funding; Abbvie: Other: Renumeration; Bayer: Other: Institutional research funding; Novartis: Other: Institutional research funding; MEI-Pharma: Other: Institutional research funding; Roche: Other: Institutional research funding; Pfizer: Other: Institutional research funding; Merck: Other: Institutional research funding. Stuessi:Gilead: Speakers Bureau. Zucca:Gilead: Honoraria, Other: travel grant. Rossi:Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Other: Scientific advisory board; Janseen: Honoraria, Other: Scientific advisory board; Roche: Honoraria, Other: Scientific advisory board; Astra Zeneca: Honoraria, Other: Scientific advisory board. Bertoni:Nordic Nanovector ASA: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Other: travel grants; ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding; Bayer AG: Research Funding; Cellestia: Research Funding; CTI Life Sciences: Research Funding; EMD Serono: Research Funding; Helsinn: Consultancy, Research Funding; ImmunoGen: Research Funding; Menarini Ricerche: Consultancy, Research Funding; NEOMED Therapeutics 1: Research Funding; Oncology Therapeutic Development: Research Funding; PIQUR Therapeutics AG: Other: travel grant, Research Funding; HTG: Other: Expert Statements ; Amgen: Other: travel grants; Astra Zeneca: Other: travel grants.

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