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As part of a phase 1/2 study, this single-arm expansion cohort established the efficacy and safety of mosunetuzumab monotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (received >=2 prior lines of therapy). Intravenous mosunetuzumab was administered with cycle (C)1 step-up dosing for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) mitigation: C1 day (D) 1: 1 mg; C1D8 2 mg; C1D15 and C2D1: 60 mg; C3 + D1: 30 mg. Hospitalization was not mandatory. Patients with complete response (CR) completed treatment after C8; those with partial response or stable disease continued treatment for a total of 17 cycles. The primary endpoint was CR rate (best response) by Independent Review Facility, assessed against a historical control CR rate (20%). Eighty-eight patients (73.9% de-novo DLBCL; 26.1% transformed follicular lymphoma) were enrolled; all had received prior anthracycline and anti-CD20 therapy. Overall response and CR rates were 42.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 31.6-53.1) and 23.9% (95% CI, 15.4-34.1, respectively; CR rate did not reach statistical significance versus the historical control [P = 0.36]). Median time to first response was 1.4 months. Median progression-free survival was 3.2 months (95% CI: 2.2, 5.3). The CR rate in 26 patients who received prior CAR-T therapy was 12%. CRS was one of the most common adverse events (26.1% of patients); predominantly grade 1 to 2 and primarily in C1. Four patients (4.5%) discontinued mosunetuzumab due to adverse events. Mosunetuzumab demonstrated notable efficacy and a manageable safety profile in patients with R/R DLBCL, including those previously treated with CAR-Ts.

Supplementary Methods, Supplementary References, Supplementary Figure 1 - in vitro analysis of various BET inhibitors against Eu-myc lymphoma cells and effect of JQ1 on OPM2 and OPM2/BCL2 cells; Supplementary Figure 2 - In vitro effects of JQ1 on OPM2 and OPM2/BCL2 cells; Supplementary Figure 3 - In vivo effects of JQ1 showing lack of toxicity; Supplementary Figure 4 - induction of Bim in JQ1-sensitive and JQ1-resistant Eu-myc lymphomas; Supplementary Figure 5 - Activated Ras confers resistance to JAK inhibitor and JQ1.

Purpose:Targeting Bcl-2 family members upregulated in multiple cancers has emerged as an important area of cancer therapeutics. While venetoclax, a Bcl-2–selective inhibitor, has had success in the clinic, another family member, Bcl-xL, has also emerged as an important target and as a mechanism of resistance. Therefore, we developed a dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor that broadens the therapeutic activity while minimizing Bcl-xL–mediated thrombocytopenia.Experimental Design:We used structure-based chemistry to design a small-molecule inhibitor of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and assessed the activity against in vitro cell lines, patient samples, and in vivo models. We applied pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling to integrate our understanding of on-target activity of the dual inhibitor in tumors and platelets across dose levels and over time.Results:We discovered AZD4320, which has nanomolar affinity for Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and mechanistically drives cell death through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. AZD4320 demonstrates activity in both Bcl-2– and Bcl-xL–dependent hematologic cancer cell lines and enhanced activity in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient samples compared with the Bcl-2–selective agent venetoclax. A single intravenous bolus dose of AZD4320 induces tumor regression with transient thrombocytopenia, which recovers in less than a week, suggesting a clinical weekly schedule would enable targeting of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL–dependent tumors without incurring dose-limiting thrombocytopenia. AZD4320 demonstrates monotherapy activity in patient-derived AML and venetoclax-resistant xenograft models.Conclusions:AZD4320 is a potent molecule with manageable thrombocytopenia risk to explore the utility of a dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor across a broad range of tumor types with dysregulation of Bcl-2 prosurvival proteins.

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Translocations of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene occur in 60% to 80% of all infant acute leukemias and are markers of poor prognosis. MLL-AF9 and other MLL fusion proteins aberrantly recruit epigenetic regulatory proteins, including histone deacetylases (HDAC), histone methyltransferases, bromodomain-containing proteins, and transcription elongation factors to mediate chromatin remodeling and regulate tumorigenic gene expression programs. We conducted a small-molecule inhibitor screen to test the ability of candidate pharmacologic agents targeting epigenetic and transcriptional regulatory proteins to induce apoptosis in leukemic cells derived from genetically engineered mouse models of MLL-AF9–driven acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We found that the CDK inhibitor dinaciclib and HDAC inhibitor panobinostat were the most potent inducers of apoptosis in short-term in vitro assays. Treatment of MLL-rearranged leukemic cells with dinaciclib resulted in rapidly decreased expression of the prosurvival protein Mcl-1, and accordingly, overexpression of Mcl-1 protected AML cells from dinaciclib-induced apoptosis. Administration of dinaciclib to mice bearing MLL-AF9–driven human and mouse leukemias elicited potent antitumor responses and significantly prolonged survival. Collectively, these studies highlight a new therapeutic approach to potentially overcome the resistance of MLL-rearranged AML to conventional chemotherapies and prompt further clinical evaluation of CDK inhibitors in AML patients harboring MLL fusion proteins. Cancer Res; 76(5); 1158–69. ©2015 AACR.

Utilising tissue whole exome sequencing (WES) and circulating tumor cell-free DNA (ctDNA), this Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG) translational study sought to characterise primary and acquired molecular determinants of response and resistance of MZL to zanubrutinib for patients treated on the MAGNOLIA clinical trial. WES was performed on baseline tumor samples obtained from 18 patients. For seven patients, ctDNA was interrogated using a bespoke hybrid-capture next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay for 48 targeted genes. Somatic mutations were correlated with objective response data and survival analysis using Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier (log-rank) method respectively. Baseline WES identified mutations in 33/48 (69%) prioritised genes. NFkB, NOTCH or BCR pathway genes were implicated in samples for 16/18 (89%) patients. KMT2D mutations (n=11) were most common followed by FAT1 (n=9), NOTCH1, NOTCH2, TNFAIP3 (n=5) and MYD88 (n=4). MYD88 or TNFAIP3 mutations correlated with improved PFS (not reached (NR) vs 11.1 months, p: 0.008, HR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01-0.52); KMT2D mutations trended to worse PFS (PFS: 13.40 months vs NR, p: 0.05, HR 6.5, 95%CI: 1.00-37.78). Acquired resistance mutations PLCG2 (R665W/R742P) and BTK (C481Y/C481F) were detected in two patients whose disease progressed. A BTK E41K non-catalytic activating mutation was identified prior to treatment in one zanubrutinib-refractory patient. MYD88, TNFAIP3 and KMT2D mutations correlate with PFS in patients with rrMZL treated with zanubrutinib. Detection of acquired BTK and PLCG2 mutations in ctDNA while on therapy is feasible and may herald clinical disease progression. This trial was registered at https://anzctr.org.au/ as ACTRN12619000024145.

Background: Recent advances in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have transformed the landscape and provided significant benefits to patients. Novel agents that target CD19 and CD20 on B cells, such as bispecific T-cell engagers and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, have demonstrated benefit for patients in the relapsed and refractory setting. However, these agents can often be associated with significant toxicity and there is a need for new therapies that can provide clinical benefit with a superior safety profile. Imvotamab is a novel CD20 x CD3 bispecific antibody utilizing an IgM backbone. This allows targeting of up to 10 CD20 binding sites for every CD3 site. In preclinical models, imvotamab demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity and stimulated T-cells in a more physiologic manner than IgG-based antibodies, which may reduce adverse events typically associated with T-cell engagers and CAR-T, such as CRS and neurotoxicity. Loncastuximab tesirine is a CD19-targeting antibody-drug conjugate approved by the US FDA and EMA for relapsed DLBCL after 2 lines of systemic therapy. Loncastuximab tesirine has shown activity in both DLBCL and FL. Combining therapies such as loncastuximab tesirine, which targets CD19 and induce apoptosis of cancer cells, with imvotamab’s ability to eliminate CD20+ tumor cells by engagement with T-cells, may improve treatment outcomes among patients with NHL via synergistic mechanisms of action. Methods: This study is a Phase 1/2, multicenter, single-arm clinical trial of imvotamab as monotherapy and in combination with loncastuximab tesirine for patients with relapsed/refractory NHL. Phase 1a Dose Escalation is complete with no DLTs or neurotoxicity AEs up to 1000mg dose titration. Phase 1b Combination will evaluate imvotamab and loncastuximab tesirine in patients with R/R 2nd line or later NHL. Phase 2 monotherapy Dose Selection is currently ongoing. The Phase 2 component randomizes patients at two different dose levels (100 mg and 300 mg plateau dose) in two separate indications (R/R DLBCL and R/R FL). Patients receive weekly dosing on Day 1, 8, and 15 of each 21- day cycle. Dosing begins at 15 mg and is increased weekly for 3-4 weeks to reach the plateau dose. Patients then stay at the plateau dose until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who achieve a response by Week 12 may switch to a less frequent dosing interval of every 3 weeks. Primary endpoints include frequency and severity of adverse events and objective response rate (ORR) based on Lugano criteria. Correlative biomarker studies will evaluate the relationship of clinical benefit with blood and tissue biomarkers. The study is currently open with patients enrolling in Phase 2 at time of submission. Phase 1b Combination is expected to begin enrollment in the first quarter of 2023. Clinical trial information: NCT04082936. Citation Format: Catherine Diefenbach, Won Seog Kim, Chan Cheah, Ajay K. Gopal, Philippe Armand, Ian Flinn, Gareth P. Gregory, Sung-Soo Yoon, Loretta Nastoupil, Jennifer Lue, Vincent Ribrag, Javier Briones, Antonio Salar-Silvestre, Anna Sureda-Balari, Matthew Ku, Hans Cruz, Paul Thaler, Ibrahim Qazi, Rachel Wei, Maya Leabman, Genevive Hernandez, Iris Sison, Elizabeth Budde. A phase 1/2 randomized study of imvotamab monotherapy and in combination with loncastuximab tesirine in relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr CT052.