Purpose: Myelofibrosis is characterized by bone marrow fibrosis, atypical megakaryocytes, splenomegaly, constitutional symptoms, thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications, and a risk of evolution to acute leukemia. The JAK kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib provides therapeutic benefit, but the effects are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine whether targeting AURKA, which has been shown to increase maturation of atypical megakaryocytes, has potential benefit for patients with myelofibrosis. Patients and Methods: Twenty-four patients with myelofibrosis were enrolled in a phase I study at three centers. The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of alisertib. Correlative studies involved assessment of the effect of alisertib on the megakaryocyte lineage, allele burden, and fibrosis. Results: In addition to being well tolerated, alisertib reduced splenomegaly and symptom burden in 29% and 32% of patients, respectively, despite not consistently reducing the degree of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, alisertib normalized megakaryocytes and reduced fibrosis in 5 of 7 patients for whom sequential marrows were available. Alisertib also decreased the mutant allele burden in a subset of patients. Conclusions: Given the limitations of ruxolitinib, novel therapies are needed for myelofibrosis. In this study, alisertib provided clinical benefit and exhibited the expected on-target effect on the megakaryocyte lineage, resulting in normalization of these cells and reduced fibrosis in the majority of patients for which sequential marrows were available. Thus, AURKA inhibition should be further developed as a therapeutic option in myelofibrosis. See related commentary by Piszczatowski and Steidl, p. 4868
<div>AbstractPurpose:<p>Myelofibrosis is characterized by bone marrow fibrosis, atypical megakaryocytes, splenomegaly, constitutional symptoms, thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications, and a risk of evolution to acute leukemia. The JAK kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib provides therapeutic benefit, but the effects are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine whether targeting AURKA, which has been shown to increase maturation of atypical megakaryocytes, has potential benefit for patients with myelofibrosis.</p>Patients and Methods:<p>Twenty-four patients with myelofibrosis were enrolled in a phase I study at three centers. The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of alisertib. Correlative studies involved assessment of the effect of alisertib on the megakaryocyte lineage, allele burden, and fibrosis.</p>Results:<p>In addition to being well tolerated, alisertib reduced splenomegaly and symptom burden in 29% and 32% of patients, respectively, despite not consistently reducing the degree of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, alisertib normalized megakaryocytes and reduced fibrosis in 5 of 7 patients for whom sequential marrows were available. Alisertib also decreased the mutant allele burden in a subset of patients.</p>Conclusions:<p>Given the limitations of ruxolitinib, novel therapies are needed for myelofibrosis. In this study, alisertib provided clinical benefit and exhibited the expected on-target effect on the megakaryocyte lineage, resulting in normalization of these cells and reduced fibrosis in the majority of patients for which sequential marrows were available. Thus, AURKA inhibition should be further developed as a therapeutic option in myelofibrosis.</p><p><i>See related commentary by Piszczatowski and Steidl, p. 4868</i></p></div>
<div>AbstractPurpose:<p>Myelofibrosis is characterized by bone marrow fibrosis, atypical megakaryocytes, splenomegaly, constitutional symptoms, thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications, and a risk of evolution to acute leukemia. The JAK kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib provides therapeutic benefit, but the effects are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine whether targeting AURKA, which has been shown to increase maturation of atypical megakaryocytes, has potential benefit for patients with myelofibrosis.</p>Patients and Methods:<p>Twenty-four patients with myelofibrosis were enrolled in a phase I study at three centers. The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of alisertib. Correlative studies involved assessment of the effect of alisertib on the megakaryocyte lineage, allele burden, and fibrosis.</p>Results:<p>In addition to being well tolerated, alisertib reduced splenomegaly and symptom burden in 29% and 32% of patients, respectively, despite not consistently reducing the degree of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, alisertib normalized megakaryocytes and reduced fibrosis in 5 of 7 patients for whom sequential marrows were available. Alisertib also decreased the mutant allele burden in a subset of patients.</p>Conclusions:<p>Given the limitations of ruxolitinib, novel therapies are needed for myelofibrosis. In this study, alisertib provided clinical benefit and exhibited the expected on-target effect on the megakaryocyte lineage, resulting in normalization of these cells and reduced fibrosis in the majority of patients for which sequential marrows were available. Thus, AURKA inhibition should be further developed as a therapeutic option in myelofibrosis.</p><p><i>See related commentary by Piszczatowski and Steidl, p. 4868</i></p></div>
<p>Figure S1: Alisertib treatment did not result in a consistent cytokine response. Figure S2: Alisertib did not have a consistent effect on TGF-b levels. Figure S3: Alisertib induced GATA1 expression in the SET2 megakaryocytic cell line. Figure S4: AURKA inhibition induces megakaryocytic gene expression. Figure S5: Alisertib increases GATA1 expression in the bone marrow of patients on therapy. Table S1: Correlation of Genotype and prior JAK inhibitor therapy with response and adverse events Table S2: Summary of Treatment Related Adverse Events Table S3: Association between GATA1 staining, degree of fibrosis and clinical response</p>
<p>Figure S1: Alisertib treatment did not result in a consistent cytokine response. Figure S2: Alisertib did not have a consistent effect on TGF-b levels. Figure S3: Alisertib induced GATA1 expression in the SET2 megakaryocytic cell line. Figure S4: AURKA inhibition induces megakaryocytic gene expression. Figure S5: Alisertib increases GATA1 expression in the bone marrow of patients on therapy. Table S1: Correlation of Genotype and prior JAK inhibitor therapy with response and adverse events Table S2: Summary of Treatment Related Adverse Events Table S3: Association between GATA1 staining, degree of fibrosis and clinical response</p>
Background: Omacetaxine mepesuccinate (OM) is a semi-synthetic form of Homoharringtonine (HH), a cephalotaxine alkaloid. OM induces cell apoptosis by inhibiting peptide bond formation during mRNA translation, with rapid loss of short-lived proteins, such as MCL-1, c-MYC, and Cyclin D1 (Lu, J Hematol Oncol. 2014, 7: 2). Notably, cytarabine synergizes with HH in causing apoptosis of leukemia cells in vitro. A phase III RCT in China of 620 patients with de novo AML demonstrated superior CR and 3-yr survival rates upon addition of HH to a standard 2-drug AML induction therapy ('7 + 3'; Jin, Lancet Oncol. 2013, 14:599). Thus, we hypothesized that OM, at an appropriate dose, would similarly enhance the efficacy of a 7 + 3 regimen. OM is FDA-approved for the treatment of TKI-resistant CML. The MTD of 1.25 mg/m2/d SQ for 14 days every 28 days, as determined in a phase I/II CML trial of OM (Quintás-Cardama, Cancer 2007, 109: 248), served as a basis for the dose escalation used in this study. Methods: The primary endpoint of this phase I safety trial was to determine the optimally safe and active dose (OD) of OM when added to a standard 7 + 3 induction regimen, cytarabine and idarubicin. OM was administered SQ q12h d1-7 with cytarabine (100mg/m2 CIV) d1-7 and idarubicin (12mg/m2 IV) d1-3. Four dose levels were tested, starting with OM 0.625 mg/m2 q12h (further dose levels: 1.25, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.2 mg/m2 q12h). All newly diagnosed, untreated de novo or secondary AML patients, aged 18-70y with ECOG PS of 0-3 were eligible for this study. Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR) and overall and event free survival (OS, EFS). Hematologic toxicity (HT) was defined as incomplete hematologic recovery; ANC < 1.0 x 109/L or platelet count < 100 x 109/L present at d49, with the bone marrow documented to be free of leukemic infiltration. Dose escalation was based on the EffTox design (Biometrics 2004, 60:684), a Bayesian adaptive design which considers the trade-off between efficacy and toxicity in determining the OD for Phase II trials. Results: Twenty-two patients, median age 58 (range 25-69) years were enrolled from June 2015 to June 2018. 12 patients (54.5%) had adverse cytogenetics, 6 (27%) intermediate risk, 3 (13.7%) favorable risk and 1 patient's cytogenetic risk was unknown (fibrotic BM). Eight patients demonstrated disease evolution from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Altogether 16 of the 22 patients (73%) were deemed high risk based on cytogenetics or MDS-AML evolution. The EffTox design was implemented until cohort 4 (3 mg/m2 q12h), where 2 of 3 patients experienced a grade 5 non-hematologic toxicity (NHT), resulting in a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Since no DLTs were observed in cohort 3, an additional 5 patients were thus enrolled at this dose level to ensure safety. The OD was determined to be the dose level used in cohort 3: OM 2 mg/m2. No HTs were observed in 21 of 22 patients, (one patient not evaluable). The most common non-hematologic treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) of any grade were fever (68%), nausea (64%), vomiting (55%), hyperglycemia (41%), diarrhea (41%), mucositis (36%), headache (36%), sinus tachycardia (32%), rash/dermatitis (32%), and abdominal pain (32%). The most prevalent non-hematologic grade 3/4 TEAEs were febrile neutropenia (23%), hypoxia (18%), hyperglycemia (18%), and dyspnea (18%). ORR (CR and CRi) was 45.5%. Median OS was 605 days and EFS was 100 days. Conclusion: In this population with predominantly high-risk AML, the combination of OM with a standard 7 + 3 regimen demonstrates a manageable safety profile with acceptable efficacy. As ~ 25% of patients achieving CR with '7 + 3' do so after a second induction (based on meta-analysis of 6 trials, n = 1980, see Cancer 2010, 116: 5012), the ORR here is comparable to those receiving a single standard of care induction. The results in this high-risk group are therefore promising and warrant further investigation in a phase II trial. At present, we are assessing leukemic blast MCL protein expression in stored pre-treatment samples to determine if this predicts OM efficacy. NCT02440568. Teva has performed a Medical Accuracy Review of this abstract. Figure. Figure. Disclosures Khan: Teva: Speakers Bureau. Patel:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria.
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