Among patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) responding to CD19 CAR-T, about half will relapse. It is unclear how to distinguish transient vs. durable response to CAR-T and how to define suboptimal response requiring additional treatment. We assessed early FDG PET response using the 5-point Deauville score (DS) as predictor of outcome after CD19 CAR-T in lymphoma. 171 consecutive patients with relapsed/refractory LBCL treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel or tisagenlecleucel across 3 UK centres were analysed. 130/171 (76%) of patients showed response to CAR-T at the 1-month response assessment: 71 (42%) complete response (DS1-2: n=40, DS3: n=31), and 59 (34%) partial response (DS4: n=36, DS5: n=13, DS4 activity attributed to radiotherapy (DS4RT): n=10). DS response categories at 1 month were significantly associated with the time to relapse (p<0.0001), with HR of 3.0 (95% CI 1.4-6.6) for DS3-4 and HR 19.8 (95% CI 7.8-49.7) for DS5 as compared to the DS1-2/DS4RT group. DS categories were the only significant factor for time to relapse in multivariate analyses adjusting for ECOG PS, LDH, stage, CRP, extranodal involvement and bulk. Long-term survival of responding patients was significantly different according to the Deauville response at 1 month, with 12-month progression-free and overall survival ranging from 77%/87% for DS1-2/DS4RT to 0%/38% for DS5 responders, respectively. Our results indicate that early FDG PET response using Deauville criteria may be used to predict the risk of CAR-T failure and to guide post-CAR-T management in LBCL.

Poor graft function is a serious complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Infusion of CD34 +-selected stem cells without pre-conditioning has been used to correct poor graft function, but predictors of recovery are unclear. We report the outcome of 62 consecutive patients who had primary or secondary poor graft function who underwent a CD34 +selected stem cell infusion from the same donor without further conditioning. Forty-seven of 62 patients showed hematological improvement and became permanently transfusion and growth factor-independent. In multivariate analysis, parameters significantly associated with recovery were shared CMV seronegative status for recipient/donor, the absence of active infection and matched recipient/donor sex. Recovery was similar in patients with mixed and full donor chimerism. Five-year overall survival was 74.4% (95% CI 59-89) in patients demonstrating complete recovery, 16.7% (95% CI 3-46) in patients with partial recovery and 22.2% (CI 95% 5-47) in patients with no response. In patients with count recovery, those with poor graft function in 1-2 lineages had superior 5-year overall survival (93.8%, 95% CI 82-99) than those with tri-lineage failure (53%, 95% CI 34-88). New strategies including cytokine or agonist support, or second transplant need to be investigated in patients who do not recover.

No abstract

Proteasome inhibitors have been associated with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA)a group of disorders characterised by occlusive microvascular thrombosis causing microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and end-organ damage. To date, carfilzomib-associated TMA has predominantly been described in relapsed/refractory myeloma patients. We report eight patients with newly diagnosed myeloma who experienced TMA events while receiving carfilzomib on the phase II CAR-DAMON trial. The first three occurred during maintenance single-agent carfilzomib, two occurred at induction with carfilzomib given with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (KCd) and three occurred during KCd consolidation. At TMA presentation 6/8 were hypertensive; 7/8 had acute kidney injury and in three, renal impairment persisted after resolution of TMA in other respects. The mechanism of carfilzomib-associated TMA remains unclear, though patients with known hypertension seem particularly susceptible. Given the first three cases occurred during maintenance after a longer than five-week treatment break, a protocol amendment was instituted with: aggressive hypertension management, carfilzomib stepup dosing (20 mg/m 2 on day 1) at start of maintenance before dose escalation to 56 mg/m 2 maximum, and adding 10 mg dexamethasone as premedication to maintenance carfilzomib infusions. No further TMA events occurred during maintenance following this amendment and the TMA incidence reduced from 4Á2 to 1Á6 per 1 000 patient cycles.

8000 Background: Upfront ASCT for NDTE MM remains under evaluation with high MRD rates following novel induction and consolidation (cons) strategies. Current phase 3 trials support ASCT, however these employ lenalidomide maintenance which predominantly benefits standard risk (SR) patients (pts). The CARDAMON trial investigated the role of ASCT using K based induction and maintenance. Methods: NDTE pts received 4 x KCd induction (K 20/56 mg/m2 biweekly, C 500 mg D 1,8,15, d 40mg weekly) before 1:1 randomisation to ASCT or 4 x KCd cons. All received 18 months K maintenance (56mg/m2 D1,8,15). Flow cytometric MRD (10-5) was assessed post induction, pre-maintenance and at 6 months maintenance. Primary endpoints were ≥VGPR post induction and 2-year PFS from randomisation. 210 randomised pts were needed to exclude a 10% non-inferiority margin with 15% 1-sided alpha, 80% power. Results: 281 pts were registered, median age 59y (33–74), 24% high risk [t(4;14), t(14;16), t(14;20) or del(17p)]. Post induction, ≥VGPR rate was 58.5%, ORR was 87% with similar responses for high risk vs SR. 52 pts did not proceed to PBSCH (6 MR, 16 PD, 19 toxicity, 4 deaths: 3 infection, 1 cardiac event, 7 other). 109 were randomised to ASCT, 109 to KCd cons. ≥VGPR rate was 78.5% after cons and 80.0% after ASCT (p = 0.8). Median KCd cons dose was 55.5 mg/m2, 99 (90.8%) pts completed 4 cycles, 104 (95.4%) pts received ASCT. After 2.6 years follow-up, median PFS was not reached for ASCT vs 3.8 years for cons (HR: 0.82 (70% CI 0.65, 1.05, p = 0.4). Observed 2-year PFS for ASCT was 75.5% vs 70.7% for cons; calculated difference in 2-year PFS rate (cons vs ASCT) was -4.5% (70% CI -9.2%, +1.1%, non-inferior). High risk pts had inferior outcomes to SR overall regardless of randomisation (2-year PFS ASCT: 52% vs 82% (HR 4.09); cons 48% vs 77% (HR 2.83)). 2 year PFS did not differ according to randomisation: SR 82% (ASCT) vs 77% (cons) HR: 1.29 (0.71-2.35); high risk: 52% (ASCT) vs 48% (cons) HR: 1.06 (0.50-2.23). MRD negativity post induction was 24.3% and similar by genetic risk. MRD negative rates were higher post ASCT (53.1%) than cons (35.8%) (p = 0.02) independent of genetics: SR 49% (ASCT) vs 36% (cons); high risk: 57% (ASCT) vs 32% (cons). G3+ adverse events to induction were infections (18.7%), hypertension (11.2%), anaemia (10.4%), cardiac disorders (3.6%), vomiting (2.2%), fatigue (2.2%), diarrhoea (1.8%). Conclusions: In NDMM receiving KCd induction and K maintenance, KCd cons was non-inferior to ASCT. High risk pts had inferior outcomes, that were not influenced by ASCT or cons randomisation. Clinical trial information: NCT02315716. [Table: see text]