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Background: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (auto-HSCT) is a commonly used treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) and for relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) for patients who are 65 years old, and nearly half of those are in patients >75 years old. While some studies have evaluated the use of auto-HSCT in older patients 65-75 years of age, there are few studies evaluating the relative safety of this treatment in patients above the age of 75 years. Such patients and their providers require outcome data of auto-HSCT in the elderly in order to help guide informed decision-making. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing short-term outcomes for auto-HSCT in patients >75 years old and 55-65 years old for the diagnosis of MM or NHL, who were conditioned with either melphalan or BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) respectively. To identify patients, we used an internal database of auto-HSCT performed between 2005 - 2021. The study group included patients >75 years old. The control group included patients 55-65 years old that were matched to the study group patients by sex and time of transplant. Medical records were reviewed to gather data on demographics, pre-transplant functional status, transplant indication and conditioning regimen, length of stay, admission mortality, 30-day rehospitalization rate, ICU admission, neutropenic fever and infectious workup results, and time to WBC and platelet engraftment. The primary outcomes of the study were admission mortality, length of stay, time to WBC and platelet engraftment incidence, incidence of neutropenic fever, positive blood culture, ICU admission, and 30-day rehospitalization rate. Averages were calculated using medians and IQR. Admission mortality was evaluated using log rank test. P values were calculated using Fisher's test for categorical data and Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous data. Significance was denoted by α =0.05. Results: We identified 43 patients aged >75 years old who underwent autologous stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma or lymphoma with melphalan or BEAM conditioning at Montefiore Medical Center between 2005-2021. Patient characteristics (Table 1) The earliest transplant in out cohort was in 12/2005 and the latest was in 3/2021. The median time between transplants of patients in the study and cohort groups was 14 [7.5, 24] days. 24 (55.8%) patients were female. The median age in the study group was 77.1 [76.2, 77.9] years old and 61.9 [57.4, 63.0] years old in the control group. Both groups predominantly included patients from minority populations: 55.8 and 46.5% were Spanish/Hispanic/Latino and 25.6% and 14.0% were African American, in study and control groups respectively. Multiple myeloma was the most common indication for auto-HSCT. Primary outcomes (Table 2) Admission mortality did not differ significantly between the groups, with only one death in the control group (p = 0.083). The length of stay was comparable at 18 [17, 22] days and 19 [16, 20] days (p = 0.2) for study and control groups, respectively. Time to WBC engraftment in the study group was 12 [11, 12] days and 11 [11, 12] days in the control group (p = 0.032). Time to platelet engraftment in the study group was 14 [12, 15] days and 12 [11, 14] days in the control group (p = 0.014). Although both time to WBC and platelet engraftment was significantly longer in the study group, the clinical significance of this finding is questionable, especially as it did not seem to prolong length of stay. There was no significant difference between incidence of neutropenic fever, or between incidence of positive blood cultures in patients with neutropenic fever. There was a non-statistically significant increase in the rate of ICU admissions in the study group vs control group 4/43 and 0/43 respectively (p=0.12). 30-day rehospitalization rate was comparable between the two groups. Conclusion: We did not find a statistically significant increase in morbidity or mortality for patients 75-80 years of age undergoing auto-HSCT compared with patients 55-65 years old. To our knowledge this is the largest cohort to date demonstrating the safety of auto-HSCT in this elderly population. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Gritsman: iOnctura: Research Funding. Shastri: Onclive: Honoraria; GLC: Consultancy; Kymera Therapeutics: Research Funding; Guidepoint: Consultancy. Verma: Medpacto: Research Funding; Curis: Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Research Funding; Stelexis: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Novartis: Consultancy; Acceleron: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Stelexis: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Throws Exception: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Incyte: Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding.

BACKGROUND: Adoptive immunotherapy using CD19-targeted Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) has revolutionized the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Data is limited on the propensity of infections and lymphohematopoietic reconstitution after Day 30 (D30) following CAR-T cell therapy. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and nature of infectious complications in an expanded cohort of DLBCL patients treated with CD19 CAR-T therapy and its association with the dynamics of leukocyte subpopulation reconstitution post-CAR-T cell therapy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study including 19 patients who received axicabtagene ciloleucel and investigated associations between cytopenia and infectious complications after D30. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were included, consisting of 42% Hispanic, 32% Caucasian, 21% African-American, and 5% Asian subjects. Post-D30 of CAR-T infusion, 47% patients (n=9) developed an infection and 53% (n=10) remained infection-free. The most common infection type observed was viral (7 patients) followed by bacterial (5 patients) and fungal (3 patients). Of 25 total infectious events, 56% were grade 1 or 2 and 44% were grade 3 with 10 being viral in etiology. To determine the kinetics of lymphohematopoietic reconstitution and its association with infection risk, we evaluated the relationship between cytopenias and rates of infection after D30. Notably, compared to non-infection group, infection group had a higher median absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) (1,000/µL vs. 600/µL, P1,500/µL in the infection group as opposed to 70% in the non-infection group at D90 (P

Background: Adoptive immunotherapy using CD19-targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) has revolutionized the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We have demonstrated the efficacy of FDA-approved axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) in a multiethnic New York City underserved population with 80% complete response (CR) rate in the first ten patients treated at our institution (Abbasi et al., 2020). There is limited data on the propensity of infections and lymphohematopoietic reconstitution after Day 30 (D30) following CAR-T cell therapy. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and nature of infectious complications in an expanded cohort of DLBCL patients treated with CD19 CAR-T therapy and its association with the dynamics of leukocyte subpopulation reconstitution post-CAR-T cell therapy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who received CAR-T therapy at our institution between 2018-2020. Variables collected include patient demographics, absolute neutrophil (ANC), lymphocyte (ALC) and monocyte counts (AMC) at Day 30, hematologic reconstitution (ANC≥ 1500/µL) at Day 90 (D90), presence or absence of infections after D30 by clinical and/or microbiological parameters. Associations between presence of infection and D30 ANC, ALC, AMC, ANC/ALC ratio, AMC/ALC ratio were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis test. Association between infection and hematologic reconstitution at D90 was done using Chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank test were used to evaluate overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Nineteen patients were evaluated in our study, consisting of 42% (8) Hispanic, 32% (6) Caucasian, 21% (4) African-American, and 5% (1) Asian subjects. Based on clinical and microbiologic data, 47% (9) developed an infection after D30 (infection group) while 53% (10) of subjects remained infection-free after D30 (non-infection group). The most common infection type observed was viral (11 patients) followed by bacterial (8 patients) and fungal (3 patients) (Table 1). Of 25 total infectious events, 44% (11) were grade 1 or 2 and 48% (12) were grade 3 with 10 being viral in etiology. Two deaths occurred due to an infectious process. Three patients tested SARS-CoV-2 positive and were hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. Median OS and PFS has not been reached in either group. To determine the kinetics of lymphohematopoietic reconstitution and its association with infection risk, we evaluated the relationship between cytopenias and rates of infection after D30. Notably, compared to non-infection group, infection group had a higher median ALC (1000/µL vs 600/µL p=0.04), a lower median ANC/ALC ratio (1.4 vs 4.5 p1500/µL) at D90. We observed that only 22% (2) of patients had recovered ANC > 1500/µLin the infection group as opposed to 80% (8) in the non-infection group at D90 (p= 0.038). Rates of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) were comparable between the two groups (55.6% vs 70% p=0.52). Surprisingly, rates of immune-effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) was lower (55.6%) in the infection group compared to (90%) non-infection group (p=0.09). Fourteen of 19 patients had follow-up over one year, of which 8 (57%) remained in complete remission (CR). Conclusions: We demonstrate an infection rate of 47% (9) beyond D30 in patients undergoing CD19 CAR-T. Increased ALC, lower ANC/ALC and AMC/ALC ratios at D30 may be predictive of infectious complications. Median OS has not been reached in our cohort. Given the potential clinical impact, our observations should be corroborated using larger datasets. Disclosures Steidl: Pieris Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Bayer Healthcare: Research Funding; Stelexis Therapeutics: Consultancy, Current equity holder in private company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Aileron Therapeutics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Janakiram:ADC Therapeutics, FATE therapeutics, TAKEDA pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Verma:BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; acceleron: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Research Funding; stelexis: Current equity holder in private company; Medpacto: Research Funding.