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Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was associated with teclistamab treatment in the phase I/II MajesTEC‐1 study. Cytokines, especially interleukin (IL)‐6, are known suppressors of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes' activity. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model evaluated the impact of IL‐6 serum levels on exposure of substrates of various CYP enzymes (1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 3A4, 3A5). Two IL‐6 kinetics profiles were assessed, the mean IL‐6 profile with a maximum concentration (Cmax) of IL‐6 (21 pg/mL) and the IL‐6 profile of the patient presenting the highest IL‐6 Cmax (288 pg/mL) among patients receiving the recommended phase II dose of teclistamab in MajesTEC‐1. For the mean IL‐6 kinetics profile, teclistamab was predicted to result in a limited change in exposure of CYP substrates (area under the curve [AUC] mean ratio 0.87–1.20). For the maximum IL‐6 kinetics profile, the impact on omeprazole, simvastatin, midazolam, and cyclosporine exposure was weak to moderate (mean AUC ratios 1.90–2.23), and minimal for caffeine and s‐warfarin (mean AUC ratios 0.82–1.25). Maximum change in exposure for these substrates occurred 3–4 days after step‐up dosing in cycle 1. These results suggest that after cycle 1, drug interaction from IL‐6 effect has no meaningful impact on CYP activities, with minimal or moderate impact on CYP substrates. The highest risk of drug interaction is expected to occur during step‐up dosing up to 7 days after the first treatment dose (1.5 mg/kg subcutaneously) and during and after CRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify a recommended phase II dose and evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and preliminary clinical activity of JNJ‐63709178, a CD123/CD3 dual‐targeting antibody, in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Intravenous (i.v.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of JNJ‐63709178 were evaluated. The i.v. infusions were administered once every 2 weeks (cohorts 1–5 [n = 17]) or twice weekly (cohorts 6–11 [n = 36]). A twice‐weekly s.c. dosing regimen with step‐up dosing was also studied (s.c. cohorts 1–2 [n = 9]). Treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) greater than or equal to grade 3 were observed in 11 (65%) patients in cohorts 1–5 and 33 (92%) patients in cohorts 6–11. At the highest i.v. dose (4.8 μg/kg), 5 (71%) patients discontinued treatment due to TEAEs. For s.c. administration (n = 9), eight (89%) patients experienced TEAEs greater than or equal to grade 3 and injection site reactions (≤ grade 3) emerged in all patients. At 4.8 μg/kg (i.v. and s.c.), the mean maximum serum concentrations were 30.3 and 3.59 ng/ml, respectively. Increases in multiple cytokines were observed following i.v. and s.c. administrations, and step‐up dosing strategies did not mitigate cytokine production or improve the safety profile and led to limited duration of treatment. Minimal clinical activity was observed across all cohorts. The i.v. and s.c. dosing of JNJ‐63709178 was associated with suboptimal drug exposure, unfavorable safety profiles, limited clinical activity, and inability to identify a recommended phase II dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare, aggressive, incurable B-cell malignancy. Ibrutinib has been shown to be highly active for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) MCL. The RAY trial (MCL3001) was a phase 3, randomized, open-label, multicenter study that compared ibrutinib with temsirolimus in patients with R/R MCL. Active disease is frequently associated with impaired functional status and reduced well-being. Therefore, the current study employed two patient-reported outcome instruments, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lymphoma (FACTLym) and the EQ-5D-5L, to assess symptoms, well-being, health status, and health-related quality of life of patients on treatment within the RAY trial. We found that patients on ibrutinib had substantial improvement in FACT-Lym subscale and total scores, and had improvement in EQ-5D-5L utility and VAS scores compared with temsirolimus patients, indicating a superior well-being. These improvements in well-being correlated with clinical response, indicating that better health-related quality of life was associated with decreased disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection, relapse, and GVHD can complicate allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Although the effect of poor immune recovery on infection risk is well-established, there are limited data on the effect of immune reconstitution on relapse and survival, especially following T-cell depletion (TCD). To characterize the pattern of immune reconstitution in the first year after transplant and its effects on survival and relapse, we performed a retrospective study in 375 recipients of a myeloablative TCD allo-HSCT for hematologic malignancies. We noted that different subsets recover sequentially, CD8 + T cells first, followed by total CD4 + and naïve CD4 + T cells, indicating thymic recovery during the first year after HSCT. In the multivariate model, a fully HLA-matched donor and recovery of T-cell function, assessed by PHA response at 6 months, were the only factors independently associated with OS and EFS. In conclusion, T-cell recovery is an important predictor of outcome after TCD allo-HSCT. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Encouraging results have been reported with sirolimus, tacrolimus and low-dose methotrexate after non-myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 71 patients with lymphoid malignancies treated with this prophylaxis regimen after non-myeloablative or reduced intensity allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant. Grafts were human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched related in 29 (41%), matched unrelated in 36 (51%) and 9/10 HLA-matched unrelated in six (8%) patients. The regimen was well tolerated and over 90% of patients completed the planned treatment. The cumulative incidences of 1-year grade B-D and C-D acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were 0.28 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18-0.39) and 0.07 (95% CI, 0.03-0.15), respectively, and of 1- and 2-year chronic GVHD (National Institutes of Health criteria) in 70 evaluable patients were 0.15 (95% CI, 0.08-0.24) and 0.33 (95% CI, 0.22-0.44), respectively. The median day of onset of acute GVHD was 123 days (range, 17-268 days). Peri-transplant rituximab or anti-thymocyte globulin did not affect GVHD. The cumulative incidence of 1-year non-relapse mortality and relapse were 4% and 20%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 3.5 (range: 0.18-5.1) years, overall survival and progression-free survival at 2 years were 82% and 66%, respectively. This GVHD regimen results in a low incidence and severity of acute and chronic GVHD after reduced intensity and non-myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant for lymphoid malignancies. The study also highlights the incidence of late onset acute GVHD in non-myeloablative/reduced intensity conditioning, and the contribution of the new GVHD staging system that more accurately reflects clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (T-NHL) are rare diseases, with a worse prognosis compared to their B-cell counterparts. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant may have a role in the treatment of relapsed/refractory disease or high-risk histologies in the upfront setting. However, there is limited information on the efficacy of allogeneic transplant for these diseases, as well as what factors may predict outcomes. We therefore performed a retrospective study of 34 patients who received an allogeneic transplant for the treatment of T-NHL at a single center between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 2009. The median follow-up for survivors was 45 months (range 9-160 months). The 2-year overall survival (OS) was 0.61 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43-0.75) with a plateau at 28 months. Ki-67 expression ≤ 25% was predictive of improved OS ( p < 0.01), and transplant in complete remission was predictive of a decreased cumulative incidence of events ( p = 0.04). Three patients received a donor leukocyte infusion, and two patients demonstrated a response, supporting a graft-versus-lymphoma effect. These data demonstrate that allogeneic transplant is a viable option for the treatment of T-NHL and merits prospective evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on supporting the use of soluble BCMA as a biomarker for tumor burden and treatment response.

BACKGROUND G protein-coupled receptor, family C, group 5, member D (GPRC5D) is an orphan receptor expressed in malignant plasma cells. Talquetamab, a bispecific antibody against CD3 and GPRC5D, redirects T cells to mediate killing of GPRC5D-expressing myeloma cells. METHODS In a phase 1 study, we evaluated talquetamab administered intravenously weekly or every other week (in doses from 0.5 to 180 µg per kilogram of body weight) or subcutaneously weekly, every other week, or monthly (5 to 1600 fig per kilogram) in patients who had heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma that had progressed with established therapies (a median of six previous lines of therapy) or who could not receive these therapies without unacceptable side effects. The primary end points -- the frequency and type of dose-limiting toxic effects (study part 1 only), adverse events, and laboratory abnormalities -- were assessed in order to select the recommended doses for a phase 2 study. RESULTS At the data-cutoff date, 232 patients had received talquetamab (102 intravenously and 130 subcutaneously). At the two subcutaneous doses recommended for a phase 2 study (405 µg per kilogram weekly [30 patients] and 800 µg per kilogram every other week [44 patients]), common adverse events were cytokine release syndrome (in 77% and 80% of the patients, respectively), skin-related events (in 67% and 70%), and dysgeusia (in 63% and 57%); all but one cytokine release syndrome event were of grade 1 or 2. One dose-limiting toxic effect of grade 3 rash was reported in a patient who had received talquetamab at the 800-µg dose level. At median follow-ups of 11.7 months (in patients who had received talquetamab at the 405-µg dose level) and 4.2 months (in those who had received it at the 800-µg dose level), the percentages of patients with a response were 70% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51 to 85) and 64% (95% CI, 48 to 78), respectively. The median duration of response was 10.2 months and 7.8 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Cytokine release syndrome, skin-related events, and dysgeusia were common with talquetamab treatment but were primarily low-grade. Talquetamab induced a substantial response among patients with heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development; MonumenTAL-1 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03399799.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]