No abstract

Approximately 8% to 19% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have isocitrate dehydrogenase-2 (IDH2) mutations, which occur at active site arginine residues R140 and R172. IDH2 mutations produce an oncometabolite, 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), which leads to DNA and histone hypermethylation and impaired hematopoietic differentiation. Enasidenib is an oral inhibitor of mutant-IDH2 proteins. This first-in-human phase 1/2 study evaluated enasidenib doses of 50 to 650 mg/d, administered in continuous 28-day cycles, in patients with mutant-IDH2 hematologic malignancies. Overall, 214 of 345 patients (62%) with relapsed or refractory (R/R) AML received enasidenib, 100 mg/d. Median age was 68 years. Forty-two patients (19.6%) attained complete remission (CR), 19 patients (10.3%) proceeded to an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, and the overall response rate was 38.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 32.2-45.7). Median overall survival was 8.8 months (95% CI, 7.7-9.6). Response and survival were comparable among patients with IDH2-R140 or IDH2-R172 mutations. Response rates were similar among patients who, at study entry, were in relapse (37.7%) or were refractory to intensive (37.5%) or nonintensive (43.2%) therapies. Sixty-six (43.1%) red blood cell transfusion–dependent and 53 (40.2%) platelet transfusion–dependent patients achieved transfusion independence. The magnitude of 2-HG reduction on study was associated with CR in IDH2-R172 patients. Clearance of mutant-IDH2 clones was also associated with achievement of CR. Among all 345 patients, the most common grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events were hyperbilirubinemia (10%), thrombocytopenia (7%), and IDH differentiation syndrome (6%). Enasidenib was well tolerated and induced molecular remissions and hematologic responses in patients with AML for whom prior treatments had failed. The study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01915498.

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Introduction: Patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) represent an unmet clinical need. Belantamab mafodotin (belamaf; GSK2857916) is a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate (ADC; or immunoconjugate) that delivers a cytotoxic payload, monomethyl auristatin F (MMAF), to myeloma cells. In the phase II DREAMM-2 study (NCT03525678), single-agent belamaf (2.5 mg/kg) demonstrated clinically meaningful anti-myeloma activity (overall response rate 32%) in patients with heavily pretreated disease. Microcyst-like epithelial changes (MECs) were common, consistent with reports from other MMAFcontaining ADCs. Methods: Corneal examination findings from patients in DREAMM-2 were reviewed, and the clinical descriptions and accompanying images (slit lamp microscopy and in vivo confocal microscopy [IVCM]) of representative events were selected. A literature review on corneal

Interim analyses of a phase I study with GSK2857916, an antibody–drug conjugate against B cell maturation antigen, have previously reported a 60% overall response and 7.9 months progression-free survival in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). We provide updated safety and efficacy results of the BMA117159 trial following an additional 14 months' follow-up. This open-label, first-in-human, phase I study was conducted at nine centres in the USA, Canada and the UK, and included adults with MM and progressive disease after stem cell transplantation, alkylators, proteasome inhibitors, and immunomodulators. In part 1, the recommended dose of 3.4 mg/kg was identified; in part 2, patients received GSK2857916 3.4 mg/kg once every 3 weeks. Selected part 2 safety/tolerability and efficacy endpoints are reported. Twenty-one (60.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 42.1–76.1) of 35 patients achieved partial response or better, including two stringent complete responses and three complete responses. The median progression-free survival was 12 months and median duration of response was 14.3 months. Thrombocytopenia and corneal events were commonly reported; no new safety signals were identified. GSK2857916 was well tolerated and demonstrated a rapid, deep and durable response in heavily pre-treated patients with relapsed/refractory MM, consolidating the interim analyses conclusions that GSK2857916 is a promising treatment for these patients.

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01915498.

BACKGROUND:On the basis of the DREAMM-2 study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03525678), single-agent belantamab mafodotin (belamaf) was approved for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who received ≥4 prior therapies, including anti-CD38 therapy. The authors investigated longer term efficacy and safety outcomes in DREAMM-2 after 13 months of follow-up among patients who received belamaf 2.5 mg/kg. METHODS: DREAMM-2 is an ongoing, phase 2, open-label, 2-arm study investigating belamaf (2.5 or 3.4 mg/kg) in patients with RRMM who had disease progression after ≥3 lines of therapy and were refractory to immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors and refractory and/or intolerant to an anti-CD38 therapy. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients that achieved an overall response, assessed by an independent review committee. RESULTS: As of January 31, 2020, 10% of patients still received belamaf 2.5 mg/kg. Thirty-one of 97 patients (32%; 97.5% confidence interval [CI], 21.7%-43.6%) achieved an overall response, and 18 responders achieved a very good partial response or better. Median estimated duration of response, overall survival, and progression-free survival were 11.0 months (95% CI, 4.2 months to not reached), 13.7 months (95% CI, 9.9 months to not reached), and 2.8 months (95% CI, 1.6-3.6 months), respectively. Response and survival outcomes in patients who had high-risk cytogenetics or renal impairment were consistent with outcomes in the overall population. Outcomes were poorer in patients with extramedullary disease. In patients who had a clinical response and prolonged dose delays (>63 days; mainly because of corneal events), 88% maintained or deepened responses during their first prolonged dose delay. Overall, there were no new safety signals during this follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Extended follow-up confirms sustained clinical activity without new safety signals with belamaf in this heavily pretreated patient population with RRMM. Cancer 2021;0:1-15.

IntroductionIncorporation of CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) has significantly advanced treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Improved outcomes were demonstrated with the addition of the CD20 mAb rituximab to fludarabine-based therapy, both in frontline and relapsed settings, 1-5 including improved overall survival (OS) in the frontline setting with combined fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR). 5 Monotherapy with standard dose and schedule of rituximab has limited efficacy, especially in relapsed/refractory CLL. 6,7 A large number of patients in the United States receive rituximab either as monotherapy or in combination with fludarabine-based chemotherapy in both frontline and relapsed/refractory settings 8 ; refractoriness to CD20 mAb in CLL is poorly defined. Moreover, no data are currently available regarding treatment outcomes with other CD20 mAbs in CLL patients previously treated with rituximab or refractory to their last rituximab-containing regimen.Refractoriness to fludarabine or alemtuzumab was defined as failure to achieve at least partial remission to the last regimen or relapse within 6 months of treatment, including combinations. The prognosis for patients with fludarabine-refractory CLL was poor, with low response rates and short progression-free survival (PFS) and OS. 9,10 Outcomes were worse for patients also refractory to alemtuzumab, the CD52 mAb approved for fludarabine-refractory CLL. 9,10