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We report a randomized prospective phase 3 study (CLL7), designed to evaluate the efficacy of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) in patients with an early-stage high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Eight hundred patients with untreated-stage Binet A disease were enrolled as intent-to-treat population and assessed for four prognostic markers: lymphocyte doubling time 10 U/L, unmutated IGHV genes, and unfavorable cytogenetics (del(11q)/del(17p)/trisomy 12). Two hundred and one patients with ≥2 risk features were classified as high-risk CLL and 1:1 randomized to receive either immediate therapy with 6xFCR (Hi-FCR, 100 patients), or to be observed according to standard of care (Hi-W&W, 101 patients). The overall response rate after early FCR was 92.7%. Common adverse events were hematological toxicities and infections (61.0%/41.5% of patients, respectively). After median observation time of 55.6 (0–99.2) months, event-free survival was significantly prolonged in Hi-FCR compared with Hi-W&W patients (median not reached vs. 18.5 months, p p = 0.864). In conclusion, although FCR is efficient to induce remissions in the Binet A high-risk CLL, our data do not provide evidence that alters the current standard of care “watch and wait” for these patients.

The mean age at diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is 72 years, with 22.8% of patients being older than 80 years. However, the elderly are underrepresented in clinical studies of CLL. We performed a retrospective study of CLL patients aged 80 years or older at the initiation of first-line therapy in hospitals affiliated with the French intergroup on CLL (French Innovative Leukemia Organization) between 2003 and 2013. Here, we describe the clinical and biological characteristics, treatment, and outcomes for 201 patients. The median age of the cohort was 83.2 years (80-92 years). The median Cumulative Index Rating Scale comorbidity score was 5 and the median creatinine clearance was 48 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault formula). At treatment initiation, Binet stage was A (26.4%), B (27.9%), or C (40.3%). Therapy consisted mainly of chlorambucil (65.7%), bendamustine (10.5%), and rituximab (44.3%) as follows: chlorambucil alone (45.3%) or immunochemotherapy (48.3%) with rituximab + chlorambucil (22.7%), rituximab + bendamustine (10.4%), or rituximab + cyclophosphamide + dexamethasone (5.5%). The overall response rate was 66.2% with 31.8% clinical complete remission. The median overall and progression-free survival from treatment initiation was 53.7 and 18.3 months, respectively. These results suggest that treatment is feasible in this age group, even with immunochemotherapy. Thus, prospective trials should target this population and oncogeriatric evaluation and new targeted therapies should be part of such future trials.

Resume Objectifs de l’etude Une etude quantitative, prospective et descriptive a ete realisee afin d’essayer de definir la place des rites, pratiques et coutumes en fin de vie, en structure hospitaliere. Materiel et methode Cette etude est basee sur un questionnaire distribue a une population d’aides-soignants, infirmiers et medecins. Resultats Quarante-trois pour cent des soignants ont ete confrontes a des demandes de rites, pratiques et coutumes par des patients, 61 % par leurs proches. Trente-trois pour cent des soignants interroges affirment connaitre les demandes formulees par le patient ou sa famille. Malgre ce constat, 60 % des demandes ont ete accomplies, a 87 % dans de bonnes conditions selon les soignants. De plus, 26 % des soignants ont eu acces a une formation sur le sujet malgre une forte demande (83 % des soignants non formes). Conclusion L’etude suggere l’importance des rites, pratiques et coutumes en fin de vie a l’hopital. Elle revele aussi que les soignants limitent ces rites, pratiques et coutumes au seul champ religieux. Nous proposons des solutions pour mieux prendre en charge la dimension spirituelle du patient.

The optimal management of patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is dictated by the type of prior therapy, duration of prior response, presence of genomic aberrations, age, and comorbidities. The patterns of relapses and the clinical outcomes of second-line options after fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab (FCR) is given as a frontline treatment are currently unknown. In this retrospective and non-randomized study, we report the outcomes of 132 patients from databases of 14 French CLL study group centers who needed a second-line treatment after FCR frontline. Bendamustine + rituximab (BR) was the most frequently used second-line regimen, followed by alemtuzumab-based regimens, R-CHOP, and FCR. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 18 months after BR with a median overall survival (OS) not reached. We also found that response durations of

hma.2013.0854 Auteur(s) : Bruno Cazin b-cazin@chru-lille.fr Service des maladies du sang, CHRU de Lille, Hopital Huriez, Lille Comment traiter une leucemie lymphoide chronique (LLC) ? Avant de repondre a cette question, se pose une question prealable : dois-je traiter ce patient atteint de LLC ? Si oui, il importera d’evaluer la capacite du patient a recevoir tel ou tel traitement. De nouvelles evolutions therapeutiques s’annoncent, mais nous donnerons ici la priorite [...]

hma.2012.0743 Auteur(s) : Bruno Cazin, Pascal Chaibi, Florence Cymbalista, Alain Delmer, Pierre Feugier, Luc Fornecker, Veronique Leblond, Vincent Levy, Anne-Sophie Michallet, Bruno Moulin, Brigitte Pegourie, Georges Sebbane, Pierre Soubeyran, Xavier Troussard1 troussard-x@chu-caen.fr, Jean-Marc Zini Pour l’intergroupe GCFLLC/MW/GOELAMS 1 Service d’hematologie, CHU Cote-de-Nacre, 14000 Caen, France Correspondance: X. Troussard La leucemie lymphoide chronique (LLC) represente en France 1 % [...]

The mean age at diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is 72 years, with 22.8% of patients being older than 80 years. However, the elderly are underrepresented in clinical studies of CLL. We performed a retrospective study of CLL patients aged 80 years or older at the initiation of first-line therapy in hospitals affiliated with the French intergroup on CLL (French Innovative Leukemia Organization) between 2003 and 2013. Here, we describe the clinical and biological characteristics, treatment, and outcomes for 201 patients. The median age of the cohort was 83.2 years (80-92 years). The median Cumulative Index Rating Scale comorbidity score was 5 and the median creatinine clearance was 48 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault formula). At treatment initiation, Binet stage was A (26.4%), B (27.9%), or C (40.3%). Therapy consisted mainly of chlorambucil (65.7%), bendamustine (10.5%), and rituximab (44.3%) as follows: chlorambucil alone (45.3%) or immunochemotherapy (48.3%) with rituximab + chlorambucil (22.7%), rituximab + bendamustine (10.4%), or rituximab + cyclophosphamide + dexamethasone (5.5%). The overall response rate was 66.2% with 31.8% clinical complete remission. The median overall and progression-free survival from treatment initiation was 53.7 and 18.3 months, respectively. These results suggest that treatment is feasible in this age group, even with immunochemotherapy. Thus, prospective trials should target this population and oncogeriatric evaluation and new targeted therapies should be part of such future trials.

International audience; Elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are underrepresented in trials evaluating fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR). We assessed four cycles of FCR with two additional rituximab doses on day 14 of cycles 1 and 2 in 194 untreated CLL patients \textgreater 65 years (median age 71.2) without del17p. Four FCR cycles were administered to 90.7% (176/194), with (n = 74) or without (n = 102) dose-delay and/or dose-reduction. A total of 50% grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred after each cycle. Only 6.2% cycles were associated with severe infection. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 19.7%, and partial remission (PR) in 73.9% of patients. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was negative in 36.7%. Overall survival at 36 months was estimated at 87.4%. Oral FC and dose-dense rituximab is feasible and active in fit elderly CLL patients. However, myelosuppression is significant and frequent dose adaptations are required implying that these results cannot be generalized to unfit or frail elderly CLL

We report the results of a multicenter phase 1 dose-escalation study of the selective Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ONO/GS-4059 in 90 patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies. There were 9 dose-escalation cohorts ranging from 20 mg to 600 mg once daily with twice-daily regimens of 240 mg and 300 mg. Twenty-four of 25 evaluable chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients (96%) responded to ONO/GS-4059, with a median treatment duration of 80 weeks; 21 CLL patients remain on treatment. Lymph node responses were rapid and associated with a concurrent lymphocytosis. Eleven of 12 evaluable patients with mantle cell lymphoma (92%) responded (median treatment duration, 40 weeks). Eleven of 31 non-germinal center B-cell diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients (35%) responded but median treatment duration was 12 weeks due to development of progressive disease. ONO/GS-4059 was very well tolerated with 75% of adverse events (AEs) being Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 grade 1 or grade 2. Grade 3/4 AEs were mainly hematologic and recovered spontaneously during therapy. One CLL patient experienced a grade 3 treatment-related bleeding event (spontaneous muscle hematoma) but no clinically significant diarrhea, cardiac dysrhythmias, or arthralgia were observed. No maximal tolerated dose (MTD) was reached in the CLL cohort. In the non-Hodgkin lymphoma cohort, 4 patients developed a dose-limiting toxicity, yielding an MTD of 480 mg once daily. ONO/GS-4059 has significant activity in relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies without major drug-related toxicity. The selectivity of ONO/GS-4059 should confer advantages in combination therapies. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01659255.

Fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab is the most efficient first-line treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients. Many dose adjustments of the original MD Anderson Cancer Center regimen have been proposed. However, whether fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab relative dose intensity may have an impact on outcome has not yet been investigated. We retrospectively assessed relative dose intensity in 106 community-based patients included in our regional healthcare network from 2004-11, all receiving fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab as first-line treatment outside clinical trials. Dose reductions were observed in 51.4% of patients, mainly decided by the individual physician and not based on recommendations (52.7%), while there were fewer reports of toxicity or dose reduction because of impaired renal function. Progression-free survival was significantly reduced in patients who had a reduction in dose intensity of more than 20% in fludarabine-cyclophosphamide and/or rituximab. Multivariate analysis showed dose of rituximab had a significant impact on minimal residual disease and progression-free survival. Although prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor significantly reduced the rate of grade 3-4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia, it had no impact on relative dose intensity and outcome. This study shows that, in routine clinical practice, there is low adherence to the original MD Anderson Cancer Center fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab schedule, and that the decision to modify dosage was mostly taken by the individual physician and was based on anticipated toxicity. This study shows that reduction of fludarabine-cyclophosphamide and, more importantly, of rituximab doses seriously interferes with progression-free survival.

To date, the majority of trials on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have focused on patients considerably younger than the median age of onset for CLL. As a result, no definitive treatment exists for elderly patients, especially less medically fit patients. Even today, most physicians consider chlorambucil to be an appropriate option for elderly CLL patients. Practices, however, have subsequently changed following the results of several Phase III trials. Given the potential of these new immunotherapy regimens, selecting the right treatment for elderly CLL patients is still challenging.

We report our experience on rituximab-cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone (RCD) combination therapy for the treatment of autoimmune disorders (AIDs) in 48 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. Overall, 81% of patients were relapsing for AID after previous treatment with corticosteroids, splenectomy, rituximab or alemtuzumab. Diagnosis of AID was autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in 26 (54%), autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) in 9 (18.8%), Evan's syndrome in 8 (16.7%) and pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) in 5 patients (10.5%). Median time of autoimmune disorder (AID) onset from CLL diagnosis was 60 months (range: 0-240), and CLL was considered progressive in 40% of subjects upon AID diagnosis (complex AID). Median hemoglobin pre-treatment was 7.7 g/100 ml, and median platelet count 36.5 × 10(9)/l, returning to a median of 12.5 /100ml and 37.5 × 10(9)/l, respectively. Overall, an 89.5% response rate was obtained with this combination, irrespective of the AID type. Relapse occurred in 19 patients (39.6%). Median duration of response for autoimmunity (DR-AI) was 24 months, but DR-AI was higher for patients presenting: (1) AID early during CLL course (3 years), or (2) both PRCA and AIHA. Median time to CLL progression in 48 patients was 16 months, but this time was statistically shorter for Evan's syndrome and AITP patients as compared with AIHA and PRCA patients. This study emphasizes the relevance of CLL-directed immune chemotherapy in the management of CLL-associated AID.

Several prognostic factors can predict the rapid progression in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), including IGHV mutational status, cytogenetic abnormalities and, more recently, LPL/ADAM29 expression. In contrast, few studies have been devoted to the influence of these factors on clinical outcome in responding patients after therapy. We here propose to analyse the impact of IGHV gene status, LPL and ADAM29 gene expression on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in 41 stage B or C CLL patients in remission after oral fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide. The median follow-up was of 64 (16-74) months. Sequencing of IGHV showed mutated (M) VH genes in 16 of 41 cases and unmutated (UM) in 25 cases. Analysis of LPL and ADAM29 expression in 35 of 41 cases showed overexpression of ADAM29 in 17 cases (14 M and three UM) and LPL in 18 cases (all UM). Patients expressing UM IGHV and LPL had shorter DFS and OS when compared to patients expressing M IGHV and/or ADAM29. Furthermore, blood minimal residual disease (MRD) evaluation using four-colour flow cytometry was performed in 33 out the 41 patients. We showed that patients who achieved phenotypic remission displayed longer DFS than those with MRD(+). Our results support the use of LPL and ADAM29 gene expression associated to IGHV mutational status for predicting the clinical outcome of patients treated by oral fludarabine + cyclophosphamide and could be considered for treatment strategies.

A multicentre single-arm study testing the efficacy and toxicity of the oral combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) over 5 d in 75 patients with untreated B cell-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Oral FC demonstrated high efficacy with overall (OR) and complete response (CR) rates of 80% and 53%, respectively. Out of the 30 CR patients studied for Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) using 4-colour flow-cytometry and the 22 using Clonospecific polymerase chain reaction, 22 (66%) and 16 (68%), respectively, were MRD negative. Median survival and median treatment-free interval had not been reached at 7 years of follow-up. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5 years. Toxicity was acceptable, with 52% and 16% of National Cancer Institute grade 3/4 neutropenia and infections, respectively. Gastrointestinal toxicity was mild. Oral FC demonstrated a high efficacy and an acceptable safety profile and may be considered as the standard first line treatment in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) treated with a combination of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab show a high response rate. However, only a poor response is observed following rituximab monotherapy. The use of chemo-immunotherapy is often associated with haematological and infectious complications. Thus, an antibody with an enhanced ability to kill CLL cells could lead to better clinical responses to antibody monotherapy and the possibility of lowering drug doses during chemo-immunotherapy. We generated a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb), EMAB-6, which has a low fucose content. Apoptosis and complement activities for EMAB-6 were similar to those seen for rituximab. By contrast, EMAB-6 mAb showed improved Fcgamma receptor IIIA (FcgammaRIIIA)/CD16 binding and FcgammaRIIIA-dependent effector functions. It induced a higher in vitro antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against CLL cells and a higher FcgammaRIIIA-mediated interleukin-2 production by FcgammaRIIIA(+) Jurkat cells in the presence of CLL cells at both low and maximally saturating concentrations. Comparative studies between CLL and lymphoma cells coated with EMAB-6 or rituximab indicated that the difference of efficacy was more pronounced at low doses and when target cells expressed fewer CD20 molecules. Thus, EMAB-6 mAb represents a promising drug candidate for the treatment of CLL by inducing a strong cytotoxicity against tumour cells that express low CD20 levels.

The optimal management of patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is dictated by the type of prior therapy, duration of prior response, presence of genomic aberrations, age, and comorbidities. The patterns of relapses and the clinical outcomes of second-line options after fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab (FCR) is given as a frontline treatment are currently unknown. In this retrospective and non-randomized study, we report the outcomes of 132 patients from databases of 14 French CLL study group centers who needed a second-line treatment after FCR frontline. Bendamustine + rituximab (BR) was the most frequently used second-line regimen, followed by alemtuzumab-based regimens, R-CHOP, and FCR. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 18 months after BR with a median overall survival (OS) not reached. We also found that response durations of 36 months and the presence of del(17p) are critical factors that contribute to poor overall survival. BR appears to be an effective salvage regimen in our series, both in terms of progression-free and overall survival. Patients who relapsed less than 36 months after FCR have a poor outcome, not significantly different in this study from patients with early relapses less than 12 or 24 months.

Published data on transplantation in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) are still limited. We present a retrospective multicentric study of 27 WM patients who underwent 19 autologous (median age, 54 years) and 10 allogeneic (median age, 46 years) transplantations. Median time between diagnosis and transplantation was 36 months; 66% of patients had received three or more treatment lines and 72 % had chemosensitive disease. High-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous transplantation induced a 95% response rate (RR), including 10 major responses. With a median follow-up of 18 months, 12 patients are alive at 10 to 81 months and eight are free of disease progression at 10 to 34 months. The toxic mortality rate (TRM) was 6%. Allogeneic transplantation was preceded by HDT in nine patients and by a nonmyeloablative regimen in one patient. The RR was 80%, including seven major responses. With a median follow-up of 20.5 months, six patients are alive and free of progression at 3 to 76 months. Four patients died, all from toxicity, resulting in a TRM of 40%. HDT followed by autologous transplantation is feasible in WM, even in heavily pretreated patients, with some prolonged responses but a high relapse rate. Conversely, allogeneic transplantation is more toxic, but likely induces a graft-versus-WM effect and may, for some patients, result in long-term disease control.

To comparatively assess first-line treatment with fludarabine and 2 anthracycline-containing regimens, namely CAP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin plus prednisone) and ChOP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone plus doxorubicin), in advanced stages of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), previously untreated patients with stage B or C CLL were randomly allocated to receive 6 monthly courses of either ChOP, CAP, or fludarabine (FAMP), stratified based on the Binet stages. End points were overall survival, treatment response, and tolerance. From June 1, 1990 to April 15, 1998, 938 patients (651 stage B and 287 stage C) were randomized in 73 centers. Compared to ChOP and FAMP, CAP induced lower overall remission rates (58.2%; ChOP, 71.5%; FAMP; 71.1%; P

T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a chemotherapy-resistant malignancy with a median survival of 7.5 months. Preliminary results indicated a high remission induction rate with the human CD52 antibody, CAMPATH-1H. This study reports results in 39 patients with T-PLL treated with CAMPATH-1H between March 1993 and May 2000. All but 2 patients had received prior therapy with a variety of agents, including 30 with pentostatin; none achieved complete remission (CR). CAMPATH-1H (30 mg) was administered intravenously 3 times weekly until maximal response. The overall response rate was 76% with 60% CR and 16% partial remission (PR). These responses were durable with a median disease-free interval of 7 months (range, 4-45 months). Survival was significantly prolonged in patients achieving CR compared to PR or no response (NR), including one patient who survived 54 months. Nine patients remain alive up to 29 months after completing therapy. Seven patients received high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell support, 3 of whom remain alive in CR 5, 7, and 15 months after autograft. Stem cell harvests in these patients were uncontaminated with T-PLL cells as demonstrated by dual-color flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction. Four patients had allogeneic stem cell transplants, 3 from siblings and 1 from a matched unrelated donor. Two had nonmyeloablative conditioning. Three are alive in CR up to 24 months after allograft. The conclusion is that CAMPATH-1H is an effective therapy in T-PLL, producing remissions in more than two thirds of patients. The use of stem cell transplantation to consolidate responses merits further study.

Background To determine whether chlorambucil treatment benefits patients with indolent chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), we conducted two randomized trials in 1535 patients with previously untreated stage A CLL. Methods In the first trial, 609 patients were randomly assigned to receive either daily chlorambucil or no treatment; in the second trial, 926 patients were randomly assigned to receive either intermittent chlorambucil plus prednisone or no treatment. Median follow-up for the first and second trials exceeded 11 and 6 years, respectively. The end points were overall survival, response to treatment, and disease progression. Results Treatment of indolent CLL did not increase survival in either trial. In the treated group, as compared with the untreated group, the relative risk of death was 1.14 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.41; P=0.23) in the first trial and 0.96 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.75 to 1.23; P=0.74) in the second trial, with 76 percent and 69 percent of patients, respectively, having a response to therapy. Although chlorambucil slowed disease progression, there was no effect on overall survival. In the untreated group in the first trial, 49 percent of patients did not have progression to more advanced disease and did not need therapy after follow-up of more than 11 years; however, 27 percent of patients with stage A CLL died of causes related to the disease. Conclusions Chlorambucil does not prolong survival in patients with stage A CLL. Since deferring therapy until the disease progresses to stage B or C does not compromise survival, treatment of indolent CLL is unnecessary.

Ongoing studies in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia are evaluating autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation in first remission following fludarabine therapy. However, fludarabine could impair PBSC harvest. In 38 patients after frontline oral fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FDR-CY) therapy, we prospectively evaluated steady state filgrastim- or lenograstim-primed PBSC mobilization to collect 2.0 x 106/kg or more CD34 cells. The first mobilization, performed a median of 178 days (range, 69-377 days) from the last FDR-CY course, was unsuccessful in 32 patients. This result was significantly associated with a low platelet count before mobilization but not with age, interval from last FDR-CY course, initial stage, remission status, or other blood parameters. Finally, after 1, 2, and 3 mobilizations in 27, 10, and 1 patients, 2.0 x 106/kg or more CD34 cells were collected in only 12. Explorations of the mechanism of poor mobilization and adaptation of PBSC harvest policies after fludarabine treatment are therefore warranted.

Purpose Acadesine has shown in vitro to selectively induce apoptosis in B cells from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. We conducted a phase I/II open-label clinical study, to determine the safety and tolerability of acadesine given intravenously as a 4-h infusion to CLL patients. Methods Patient population included CLL patients with relapsed/refractory disease who had received one or more prior lines of treatment including either a fludarabine or an alkylator-based regimen. Twenty-four patients were included: eighteen in Part I treated at single doses of 50–315 mg/kg, and six in Part II, three with two doses at 210 mg/kg and three with five doses at 210 mg/kg. Results A manageable and predictable safety profile was demonstrated for acadesine at single doses between 50 and 210 mg/kg; 210 mg/kg was the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and optimal biological dose (OBD). Grade ≥2 hyperuricemia occurred commonly but was not clinically significant and resolved with the administration of prophylactic allopurinol. Other adverse events included transient anemia and/or thrombocytopenia (not clinically significant), renal impairment, and transient infusion-related hypotension (clinically significant). Trends of efficacy such as a reduction of peripheral CLL cells and reduction in lymphadenopathy were observed; however, the results were variable due to the small population and the range of doses tested. Conclusions A MTD of 210 mg/kg was established with single acadesine dose. Multiple dose administrations at the OBD were tested with an acceptable safety profile, showing that acadesine might be a valuable agent for the treatment of relapsed/refractory CLL patients.

To date, the majority of trials on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) focused on patients considerably younger than the median age of onset for CLL. As a result, no definitive treatment exists for elderly patients, especially less medically fit patients.The objectives of this study are to examine the impact of comorbidities on outcome as well as to compare three different therapeutic regimens in outcome efficacy.We retrospectively identified 143 patients aged65 years, who received fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) (n=49), fludarabine and rituximab (FR) (n=74), or rituximab with chlorambucil (R-CLB) (n=20) as first initial immunochemotherapy.At current follow-up (median: 24 months), the proportion of patients with a clinical response was higher with FCR (75%) than FR (57%) and R-CLB (28%). For FCR, FR, and R-CLB patients, 2-year overall survival (OS) was 94%, 76%, and 73%, respectively, (p=0.14), while 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 90%, 58%, and 30% (p0.001). In the fludarabine based regimen (FR and FCR) population, higher rituximab doses (500mg/m(2) vs. 375mg/m(2)) correlated with prolonged PFS.Despite the retrospective nature of this study, we demonstrate that elderly patients with CLL benefit from frontline immunochemotherapy, and emphasize the importance of maintaining rituximab dose intensity.

A French and Belgian multicenter phase 3 trial was conducted in medically fit patients with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Of 178 patients enrolled in the study, 165 were randomly assigned to receive 6 courses of oral fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) in combination with rituximab (FCR; 375 mg/m2 in cycle one, 500 mg/m2 in all subsequent cycles) or alemtuzumab (FCCam; 30 mg subcutaneously injected on cycle days 1-3); each cycle was 28 days. Recruitment was halted prematurely because of excess toxicity; 8 patients died in the FCCam group, 3 from lymphoma and 5 from in-fection. Overall response rates were 91% with FCR and 90% with FCCam (P = .79). Complete remission rates were 33.75% with FCR and 19.2% with FCCam (P = .04). Three-year progression-free survival was 82.6% with FCR and 72.5% with FCCam (P = .21). Three-year overall survival was similar between the 2 arms at 90.1% in the FCR arm and 86.4% in the FCCam arm (P = .27). These results indicate that the FCCam regimen for the treatment of advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia was not more effective than the FCR regimen and was associated with an unfavorable safety profile, representing a significant limitation of its use. This study is registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov as number NCT00564512.

We report our experience on rituximab–cyclophosphamide–dexamethasone (RCD) combination therapy for the treatment of autoimmune disorders in 48 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The diagnosis of autoimmune disease (AID) was autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in 26 (54%), autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (AITP) in nine (18.8%), Evans syndrome in eight (16.7%), and pure red cell anemia (PRCA) in five patients (10.5%). CLL was considered progressive in 40% of subjects upon AID diagnosis. Overall, an 89.5% response rate was obtained with this combination, irrespective of the AID type. Relapse occurred in 19 patients (39.6%). The median duration of autoimmunity was 24 months, but the duration of response of autoimmunity (DR-AI) was higher for patients presenting with: (1) AID early during the CLL course (

SummaryThe objective was to assess the medicoeconomic impact of initial and subsequent treatments based on oral fludarabine, intravenous chemotherapy (mini-CHOP) and chlorambucil in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.A Markov model has been defined to encompass the 18 strategies over a 3-year period after starting the first treatment. Costs of treatments, side effects and follow-up have been calculated by crossing data from published prospective trials, specific hospital databases and French resource-based relative value scales. When treatments were based on mini-CHOP, different possibilities offered for hospital care were taken into account.Probalistic sensitivity analysis was performed.Whatever the modality of hospital care for mini-CHOP, the strategies based on oral fludarabine as first-line treatment are not only more effective but are also cost effective and dominate other types of scenarios.Fludarabine given orally should be preferred to mini-CHOP or chlorambucil as a first-line treatment for patients wi...

Background: An increased incidence of second primary malignancies (SPM) is described in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Current hypothesis to explain this phenomenon mainly relies on immunosuppression conferred by both CLL itself and CLL treatment. The imputability of fludarabine has been long recognized but the risk associated with monoclonal antibodies, especially rituximab recently shown to improve overall survival in CLL when combined with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC), remains unknown. Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective study of the incidence of secondary cancers in 1255 CLL patients diagnosed since 1980 in the University Hospital of Lille to better characterize the possible risk of SPM associated with rituximab Results: Of 1255 patients, 651 (52%) received therapy including rituximab (38%), FC (26.7%), F alone (22.4%), chlorambucil (27.5%), alemtuzumab (15.5%) and bendamustine (9.3%). Rituximab was given either in combination with FC (27.5%), other chemotherapy (2.6%) or as a single-agent (3.5%). There was no significant difference in terms of age (58 versus 62 years), gender, Binet stage, cytogenetic abnormalities and number of regimen received between patients treated with or without rituximab. Median follow-up was 6 years for all patients (range 2-23), 4.8 years (range, 2-8) since initiation of therapy for patients treated without rituximab and 3.6 years (range, 0.2-11) for patients who received rituximab. Median overall survival (OS) was 18 years for patients treated with R-chemotherapy versus 11 years for patients treated with chemotherapy alone (p Table 1. Incidence of SPM p Treatment, %- Purine analogs- FC- RFC- Chlorambucil- Bendamustine- Alemtuzumab- CorticothŽrapie - 1,9 10,5* 24,4* 4,9 0 3,5 0 Conclusion: In this large single center retrospective study, we found an earlier and significantly increased incidence of SPM, mainly skin cancers, in CLL patients treated with R-chemotherapy compared to those given chemotherapy alone. It remains to be determined whether this increased SPM incidence is a due to a direct toxicity of rituximab or merely a collateral consequence of improved OS observed after rituximab. Disclosures Facon: Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Onyx: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Millenium: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pierre Fabre: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Cazin:ROCHE: Consultancy; MUNDIPHARMA: Honoraria, Research Funding; NOVARTIS: Honoraria; GILEAD,: Honoraria. Morschhauser:Genentech Inc./Roche: Other: Advisory boards.

Introduction: Median age of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) patients is 72 years with 40% older than 75 and 22.8% over 80 years. Important therapeutic progresses have been made, including chemo-immunotherapy as well as the recent use of targeted therapies, leading to progression-free-survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) improvements. Although the elderly represents the largest subgroup of CLL patients, they are underrepresented in clinical studies and little is known about their clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome. Consequently, results from trials cannot be directly translated into clinical practice for these patients. Bairey et al (Ann Hematol, 2011) reported a series of 214 patients (80 years or older) diagnosed in Israel between 1979 and 2009 with a mean age of 84. However, in this cohort, 56% of the patients had a Rai stage 0 and only 53 received treatment. Median survival was 56 months. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of CLL patients aged 80 or more at initiation of first line therapy. Patients were treated between 2003 and 2013, in 17 hospitals affiliated to the French Innovative Leukemia Organisation (FILO). We report here a cohort of 201 such CLL patients, and describe their clinical and biological characteristics, treatment options and outcome. Results: Patients' median age was 83.4 years (80-92), 29% were older than 85 years, and the sex ratio was 60% male/40% female. Performance status (97%≤ 2) and nutritional status (median Corporal Mass Index of 25.3 kg/m²) were preserved. The median Cumulative Index Rating Scale (CIRS) comorbidity score was 5. More precisely in term of fitness, 57.8% patients were characterized as "go-go" with a CIRS ≤ 6 and organ comorbidities Diagnosis relied on a Royal Marsden Hospital (RMH) score > 3, and CD38 was positive in 43,4% of the 129 cases tested (64%). Cytogenetic data were available for 42% of the patients. Isolated abnormalities were deletion 13q (38.1%), trisomy 12 (21.4%), deletion 17q (10.7%) or deletion 11q (7.1%). Besides, associated chromosomic abnormalities were detected, mainly by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and complex karyotypes (1.2%). At treatment initiation, Binet stage was either A (27.2%), B (28.7%) or C (41.5%). Therapies consisted mainly in Chlorambucil (65.5%), Bendamustine (10.5%) and Rituximab (44.3%). Indeed, therapy regimens were composed of Chlorambucil alone (45.3%) or chemo-immunotherapy (48.3%) including Rituximab+Chlorambucil (22.7%), Rituximab+Bendamustine (10.4%), Rituximab+Cyclophosphamide+Dexamethasone (5.5%) or Rituximab+Fludarabine+Cyclophosphamide (5.5%). In term of tolerance, 20.2% of the patients required hospitalization and 10% of these cases were febrile neutropenia. Finally, 31.8% required a dose reduction of chemotherapy. The Overall Response Rate was 65.9% with 31.4% of clinical complete remission. The median OS and PFS (from treatment initiation) were 48.6 and 18 months, respectively (cf. Survival curves). Afterwards, an important number of patients (41.3%) remained fit enough to receive a second line treatment. In univariate analysis, only comorbidities evaluated by the CIRS had a significant impact on survival (p=0.03). Indeed patients identified as fit by a CIRS score ≤ 6 and no organ comorbidity > 3 had a better outcome. Conclusion: We report a large series of elderly CLL patients, who received first line treatment at a median age of 83. Median OS was about 4 years, which is less than normal population of the same age. Our results suggest that treatment (including immunochemotherapy) is feasible, even in this very old population. Different bias are possible in this retrospective study including the selection of only fit patients, the low percentage of geriatric evaluation, and the possible undertreatment of this population since chlorambucil was the most frequent treatment. In the future, prospective trials should target this population. Oncogeriatric evaluation and new targeted therapies should be part of such future trials. Figure 1. Survival curve 1: Overall Survival Figure 1. Survival curve 1: Overall Survival Figure 2. Survival curve 2: Progression Free Survival Figure 2. Survival curve 2: Progression Free Survival Disclosures Dupuis: ROCHE: Speakers Bureau; ABBVIE: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Aurran-Schleinitz:CSLBehring: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria. Cymbalista:Karyopharm: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding. Dilhuydy:Roche: Honoraria, Other: Travel reimbursement; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Travel reimbursement; Mundipharma: Honoraria. Cazin:GILEAD,: Honoraria; ROCHE: Consultancy; MUNDIPHARMA: Honoraria, Research Funding; NOVARTIS: Honoraria. Leblond:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses, Speakers Bureau; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Mundipharma: Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Cartron:Sanofi: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; GSK: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria.

Data on clinical features observed in patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) during follow-up remain limited. Therefore, we evaluated 860 follow-up procedures in 101 patients. Median age was 66 years and 5-year overall survival 72%, with a median follow-up of 36 months in surviving patients. Sixteen patients presented at diagnosis with two or three cytopenias lasting for at least 3 months (multiple cytopenias [MC]), and MC improved after treatment in eight patients, 4 to 18 months later. MC was observed during at least 6 consecutive months in 23 other patients, 2 to 73 months (median, 24) after diagnosis. MC occurred off-therapy in 12 patients, and on-therapy in 11. Regression occurred in three of the former patients, and in seven of the latter (6 to 24 months after completion of treatment; median, 7). Finally, the 4-year estimated cause-specific cumulative incidence was 40% in the 101 patients. A second malignancy was observed in 11 patients, histological transformation in three, and rapid rise of M-component in only six patients. In conclusion, the present analysis pointed out a high incidence of long lasting MC during the evolution of WM, and a low frequency of rapid rise of M component.

1795 Introduction. The combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) has become the core combination of modern frontline chemotherapy for fit and young B-CLL patients (pts). Recently the association with rituximab to FC (IV administration) has been shown to increase the response and extend both progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in untreated pts (Hallek et al., Lancet 2010). So far few data are available concerning the very long term outcome of pts treated by FC containing regimen. Methods. We previously reported a prospective phase II trial (Cazin et al., BJH 2008) of the oral combination of FC over 5 days in 75 patients with untreated B-CLL and less than 66 years old. The study was conducted between October 1999 and February 2001. Briefly, oral FC then demonstrated high efficacy with overall response rate (ORR) and complete response (CR) rate of 80% and 53% respectively despite the absence of rituximab in this regimen. We here propose to examine 10-year end points of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), impact of genomic features, and risk of therapy-related myeloid neoplasm (t-MN) by updating survival data of all the pts incuded in this trial. Results. With a median follow-up of 10.7 years, the median 10-year OS was 51.7%. Responders presented better 10-year OS than non-responders (57% vs. 38%, p=0.031) but quality of response (CR vs. PR) did not significantly impact 10-year OS. A major prognostic impact of IGVH mutational status could be observed since 10-year OS was 81% for mutated patients vs . 44% for unmutated pts (p=0.012). The median 10-year PFS was 30% and clearly influenced by the mutational status (50% if mutated profile vs. 12% if unmutated profile, p=0.02). However there is no trend of a plateau and even long term responding patients still relapse with time. Finally, only one patient developed t-MN but 9 others presented solid neoplasms. Conclusion. Long-term follow-up of B-CLL patients prospectively treated in a phase II clinical trial demonstrates extended OS and PFS with oral FC without high risk of t-MN. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Introduction: For relapsed or refractory (R/R) CLL patients (pts), combination of bendamustine and rituximab appears safe and effective (Fischer 2011). Ofatumumab monotherapy gives 58% ORR in heavily pre-treated (median 4 prior lines) R/R CLL pts (Wierda JCO 2010). High doses (HD) steroids are also active in poor prognosis pts with bulky nodal involvement or p53 impairment (Castro 2008, Xu 2010). We report a planned interim analysis of the ICLL01-BOMP phase II trial evaluating the association of Bendamustine, Ofatumumab and high-dose MethylPrednisolone for fit R/R CLL pts after 1-3 previous lines (NCT01612988). Patients and Methods: Primary endpoint was CR rate after 6 cycles (cy) of the BOMP regimen [i.e. bendamustine (70 mg/m2 d1, d2), ofatumumab (1000 mg d1;15 on cy#1-2 and d1 on cy#3-6) and HD methylprednisolone (1 g/m2 d1-3)]. The c#1 was preceded by an ofatumumab (300 mg) prephase. Response evaluation (IWCLL 2008) was done 3 months (m) after the last cy along with blood and bone marrow 10-color flow MRD analysis. Results: Among the 55 pts of this analysis, median age was 64 years (44-76). CIRS-G comorbidity score was 2-6 in 61% and pts had received 2-3 lines in 37% of the cases. Prior FCR-like regimens (50 (91%) patients) had been followed by relapse within 2y in 22/55 and 5/55 pts were fludarabine-refractory (FR). IGVH was unmutated (UM) in (47/52) 90.4%. Karyotypes were complex in 18/46 (39%) cases. Distribution according to FISH hierarchical model was: del(17p) in 15 (27%), del(11q) in 14 (26%), trisomy 12 in 4 (7%), del(13q) in 17 (31%) and normal in 5 (9%). Mutations on the TP53, SF3B1 and NOTCH1 genes occurred in 17 (31%), 14 (26%) and 5 (9%) pts, respectively. According to published risk stratification (Zenz, 2012), 34/55 pts (62%) belonged to the “highest-risk” group with either TP53 disruption (deletion and/or mutation) (n=19) and/or early relapse within 2 years post-FCR (n=22). The remaining patients belonged to either the “high-risk” group (UM-IGVH and/or Highb2mic and/or del11q) accounting for 17 pts (31%) or to the “low-risk” group (or non evaluable) accounting for 4 (7%) pts. Overall, 292 BOMP cy (mean 5.3 cy/pts) were delivered. Safety analysis recorded 158 grade 3-4 adverse events (G3-4/AE) with according to cy: neutropenia: 20.8%, thrombocytopenia: 11.3%, anemia: 2.4%, infection: 5,8%, hyperglycemia: 7,5%, liver enzyme elevation: 1,4%, cutaneous reaction: 1,4%, ofatumumab infusion related reaction: 0,3% and other AE: 3,4%. Overall 43 out of 55 pts (78.2%) had at least one G3-4/AE. Twenty-eight severe adverse events were reported in 20 pts. Treatment interruption before planned 6 cy occurred for pts' decision (n=3), excessive toxicity (n=5) or early progressive disease (PD) (n = 4). Response in the ITT population was 76.4% ORR with 20% CR (n=11), 56.4% PR (n=31 including 5 nPR and 1 CRi), 9.1% stable disease (n=5), 10.9% PD (n=6) and 3.6% (n=3) non evaluable. Blood MRD obtained in 45 pts was negative ( With median follow-up of 16.2 (5.1-23.6) months (m) we observed 9 deaths, related to PD (n=5), EBV-induced lymphoproliferation (n=1), PML encephalitis (n=1), sepsis/pancytopenia (n=1) or unknown origin (n=1). We recorded 22 relapses (including 4 Richter Syndromes) resulting in treatment in 17 cases, with a BTK inhibitor in 8 cases. The median OS has not been reached (estimation 84% at 18 m) (Fig 1B). The median PFS was 18.4 m (95%CI, 14.6-22.2) and the median time to next treatment 17.6 m (95%CI, 12.9-22.4). With 5 cases censored at time of RIC-Allo, the PFS (censored analysis) was 17.5 m (95%CI, 13.2-21.8). (Fig 1A) After univariate analysis, ORR was lower in the “highest-risk” (64,6%, p=0.01), del(17p) (40%, p=0.003), TP53 mutation (47.1%, p=0.01) and complex karyotype (61.2%, p=0.024) groups. PFS was shorter in the “highest-risk” (14 m, p=0.046), FR (4.96 m, p Conclusion: Relapse treatment of CLL is a challenge especially after prior FCR-like treatments, accounting for >90% of this trial population. These results in terms of response and survival appear noteworthy considering that >60% are “highest-risk” pts. This study provides important information for forthcoming comparison with next emerging CLL therapies. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures de Guibert: Roche: Honoraria. Feugier:Roche: Honoraria. Schuh:Roche, Gilead, GSK, NAPP, Celgene: Honoraria. Leblond:Roche: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Tournilhac:mundipharma: Honoraria, Other, Research Funding; GSK: Honoraria, Other, Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria, Other, Research Funding.

Few reports are available on the treatment of patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) and primary or secondary resistance to alkylating-agent-based regimens. From December 1993 through December 1997, 92 patients with WM resistant to first-line therapy (42) or with first relapse (50) after alkylating-agent therapy were randomly assigned to receive fludarabine (25 mg/m(2) of body-surface area on days 1-5) or cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin (Adriamycin), and prednisone (CAP; 750 mg/m(2) cyclophosphamide and 25 mg/m(2) doxorubicin on day 1 and 40 mg/m(2) prednisone on days 1-5). The first end point evaluated was the response rate after 6 treatment courses. Forty-five patients received CAP and 45 received fludarabine. Two patients died before the first course of chemotherapy. No statistical differences were observed between the 2 treatment arms with respect to hematologic toxicity or infections. Mucositis and alopecia occurred significantly more often in patients treated with CAP. Partial responses were obtained in 14 patients (30%) treated with fludarabine and 5 patients (11%) treated with CAP (P =.019). Responses were more durable in patients treated with fludarabine (19 months versus 3 months), and the event-free survival rate was significantly higher in this group (P.01). Forty-four patients died, 22 in the fludarabine group and 22 in the CAP group. There was no statistical difference in the median overall survival time in the 2 study arms. Fludarabine was thus more active than CAP in salvage therapy of WM and should be tested as first-line therapy in a randomized comparison with alkylating agents.

A randomized phase II multicenter clinical trial comparing the efficacy of fludarabine (FAMP) to that of the association of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone (CAP) in 92 patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia in first relapse or with primarily resistant disease, was conducted on the behalf of the 'Groupe Cooperatif Macroglobulinemie'. The main analysis of this study failed to demonstrate a clear cut benefit of FAMP in terms of overall survival (OS), although a significant benefit in terms of time to disease progression and event-free survival (EFS) was noted. In this rare disorder, where few randomized trials have been conducted, we took advantage of this trial to assess treatment differences while integrating quality of life considerations. We thus performed a quality-adjusted survival analysis, using the quality-adjusted time without symptoms or toxicity (Q-TWiST) approach. Four health states differing in terms of quality of life (QoL) were defined, namely treatment-related toxicity, treatment free of toxicity, no treatment or symptoms, and relapse. The average time spent in these health states (TOX, CT, TWiST and REL, respectively) were then weighted by utility coefficients reflecting relative QoL value according to that of TWiST and summed up giving the so-called Q-TWiST. No difference was found between randomized groups in terms of mean CT. Mean TOX in the two groups were similarly close except when considering alopecia as a relevant toxic event. By contrast, mean TWiST was 5.9 months longer in the FAMP group than in the CAP group (P = 0.006). Unsurprisingly, given the absence of difference in OS but the difference in EFS in favor of the FAMP group, mean REL was increased by 6.8 months in the CAP group (P = 0.047). As a result, benefit of FAMP in terms of average Q-TWiST only relied on the value of the utility coefficient attributed to REL (U(REL)), with a significant benefit when UREL ranged from 0 to 0.28, ie in patients undergoing poor QoL after relapse, which is likely.

Introduction Patients with asymptomatic early Rai or Binet stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) do not benefit from mono-chemotherapy. Therefore, clinical observation without treatment (watch&wait; W&W) has been the gold standard for the management of these patients. Chemoimmunotherapy with FCR improves the outcome of patients with advanced CLL, but its efficacy in early stage disease has not been investigated. Several clinical and biological variables identify those patients who have a high risk of an aggressive disease course and who might benefit from early interventions. Consequently, this trial was conducted to test the value of FCR treatment in patients with early stage, high-risk CLL. Methods This report represents the endpoint and safety analysis of a randomized German-French cooperative phase III trial comparing the efficacy of early versus deferred FCR therapy in treatment-naïve Binet stage A CLL patients with a high risk of disease progression. Risk assessment was performed using 4 prognostic markers: Lymphocyte doubling time 10 U/L, an unmutated immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region gene (IGHV) status, and presence of unfavorable cytogenetics (del11q, del17p, trisomy 12) by fluorescence-in-situ hybridization. Presence of at least 2 versus less than 2 of these factors defined “high-risk” versus “low-risk” CLL. High-risk CLL patients were further randomized to receive either 6 cycles FCR (HR-FCR) or to be followed by a W&W strategy (HR-W&W). Patients with low-risk CLL were observed only (LR-W&W). Results Between 2005 and 2010, a total of 824 patients was enrolled, 423 patients in 69 centers of the German CLL Study Group and 401 patients in 25 centers of the French Cooperative Group on CLL. The diagnosis of CLL needed to be established no longer than 12 months prior to enrollment and patients were required to present with previously untreated stage Binet A CLL at the time of inclusion. Overall, 800 patients (97.1%) were stratified, 201 of them categorized as high-risk CLL (25.1%). There was no significant difference between high-risk patients from the two study groups regarding common baseline characteristics (e.g., age, sex, comorbidity, immunophenotype) and the distribution of risk factors used for stratification. 100 out of 201 high-risk patients were randomized to receive FCR therapy (HR-FCR), while 101 patients were allocated to the HR-W&W arm. 18 out of 100 patients (18%) withdrew consent for FCR therapy before treatment was started. 71 (86.6%) of 82 treated patients completed ≥4 cycles. The most common of 228 CTC grade III/IV adverse events reported within 12 months after treatment initiation were hematotoxicity (73.2% of patients) and infections (19.5% of patients). Three patients (3.7%) developed fatal CTC grade V infections (2 septic bacteremias, 1 of them with pulmonary aspergillosis; 1 encephalitis). Out of 79 patients available for response assessment until month 12 after treatment start, 76 showed a complete or partial remission (ORR 96.2%), 2 patients had stable disease (2.5%) and 1 patient had progressed (1.3%). After a median follow up of 46 months (range 0-88 months), HR-FCR patients demonstrated a significantly improved event-free survival (EFS) compared to HR-W&W patients (median EFS not reached versus 24.5 months, respectively, P Conclusion This is the first randomized phase III trial investigating the efficacy of FCR chemoimmunotherapy in early stage CLL. So far, the study has revealed two major results: 1. A combination of clinical and biological factors can be used to identify early stage CLL patients who experience a rapid disease progression with unfavorable outcome, 2. FCR chemoimmunotherapy substantially improves event-free survival in early stage high-risk CLL. Disclosures: Langerbeins: Roche: travel grants Other. Cazin:roche: meeting invitation Other, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: meeting invitation, meeting invitation Other, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Fischer:Mundipharma: Travel grants, Travel grants Other; Roche: Travel grants Other. Stilgenbauer:Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding, Travel grants Other; Mundipharma: Consultancy, Research Funding. Leblond:Roche : Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Mundipharma: Honoraria, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Hallek:F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding.

Introduction CLL2007FMP (fit medically patients) is a Randomized Phase-III Trial conducted by the French Cooperative Group on CLL and WM (FCGCLL/WM) and the “Groupe Ouest-Est d'Etude des Leucémies et Autres Maladies du Sang” (GOELAMS), comparing FC plus Rituximab (FCR) to FC plus Campath (FCCam) in previously untreated fit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Early results showed that the FCCam regimen was associated with an unfavourable safety profile limiting significantly its use in this indication (Blood 2012). We present here the results of the extended follow up of the CLLFMP2007 trial, with particular emphasis on survival data, minimal residual disease (MRD) and late adverse events. Methods In this trial, 178 younger ( Results PFS and OS were not significantly different between the two arms. With a median follow-up of 55.5 months (interquartile range, 50-60), 57 pts in the FCCam arm were free of disease progression compared with 50 in the FCR arm, with a 3-year estimated PFS at 81% in both arms (p=0.80). Fourteen pts died in the FCCam arm (7 from progression and 7 from toxicity) and 9 died in the FCR arm (all from progression), with a 3-year estimated survival at 90% vs. 88% (p=0.85). PFS was significantly impacted by IGHV mutational status (p=0.001), Binet stage (p=0.0002) and MRD level. At final evaluation, MRD was established using the result in PB samples (available for 120 patients) and was determined in 103 pts by combining the results from blood and BM samples. Interpretation was based firstly on the use of the classical 10-4 threshold as reference and secondly on the limit of detection of the technique (0.7x10-5). In MRD-positive patients, the median PFS was 44.7 months (PB) whereas it was not reached in the group with MRD lower than 10-4 (p Conclusion Results of this extended follow-up of the CLL2007FMP trial confirm the absence of superiority of the FCCam regimen on OS and PFS. Interestingly, longer follow-up did not reveal a higher rate of late toxicity in FCCam arm, notably in terms of secondary malignancies; Similarly to early toxicity, late was adverse events were mainly infectious. Finally, MRD status determined by 6-color technique in PB and/or BM at post-treatment evaluation was predictive of PFS whatever the treatment arm. This finding is in line with recent reports in other studies pointing out to the powerful value of MRD as prognostic factor, supporting its use as PFS surrogate primary endpoint in clinical trials. Disclosures: Feugier: roche: Honoraria. Cazin:roche: meeting invitation Other, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: meeting invitation, meeting invitation Other, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees.

T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL), a rare form of mature T-cell leukemias, and ataxia telangiectasia clonal proliferation, a related condition occurring in patients suffering from ataxia telangiectasia, have been associated to translocations involving the 14q32.1 or Xq28 regions, where are located the TCL1 and MTCP1 putative oncogenes, respectively. The MTCP1 gene is involved in the t(X;14)(q28;q11) translocation associated with these T-cell proliferations. Alternative splicing generates type A and B transcripts that potentially encode two entirely distinct proteins; type A transcripts code for a small mitochondrial protein, p8MTCP1, and type B transcripts, containing an additional open reading frame, may code for 107 amino-acid protein, p13MTCP1. The recently cloned TCL1 gene, also involved in translocations and inversions associated with T-cell proliferations, codes for a 14-kD protein that displays significant homology with p13MTCP1. We have generated rabbit antisera against this putative p13MTCP1 protein and screened for expression of p13MTCP1 normal lymphoid tissues and 33 cases of immature and mature lymphoid T-cell proliferations using a sensitive Western blot assay. We also investigated the MTCP1 locus configuration by Southern blot analysis. The p13MTCP1 protein was detected in the three T-cell proliferations with MTCP1 rearrangements because of t(X;14) translocations, but neither in normal resting and activated lymphocytes nor in the other T- cell leukemias. Our data support the hypothesis that p13MTCP1 and p14TCL1 form a new protein family that plays a key role in the pathogenesis of T-PLL and related conditions.

Abstract 716 CLL patients characterized by 17p-, TP53 mutation or refractoriness to fludarabine (F)-based therapy show a very poor prognosis (“ultra high-risk CLL”). Although alemtuzumab (A) showed efficacy in these cohorts, the rate and duration of remissions remain unsatisfactory. Aim of the CLL2O study was to achieve higher overall response rates (ORR) by adding high-dose dexamethasone (D) to A during induction and investigating the consolidation effect of prolonged A or allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT), respectively. Induction treatment consisted of subcutaneous A, 30 mg weekly × 3 for 28 days, combined with oral D, 40 mg on days 1–4 and 15–18, and prophylactic pegfilgrastim 6 mg on days 1 and 15. Treatment duration was up to max. 12 weeks. Consolidation was at discretion of pt and physician with either allo-SCT or maintenance A with 30 mg every 14 days for up to 2 years (y). Between Jan. 2008 and Dec. 2011, 131 eligible pts were recruited at 26 centers. Pts were generally subdivided into three cohorts: 61 pts were refractory (i.e. no response or relapse within 6 months) to regimens containing F or similar (i.e. pentostatin, cladribine, bendamustine). Non-refractory pts all exhibited 17p- and had either untreated (n=42) or relapsed CLL (n=28). The median age was 66.5/64/66 y in 17p- 1st line, 17p- relapse, and F-refractory pts, respectively. The three cohorts had 45/57/77% Binet C, 40/32/31% B symptoms, 38/40/56% ECOG 1 or 2, median TK levels of 36/49/26 U/L, median β2MG levels of 3.8/5.3/4.7 mg/L, and unmutated IGHV in 90/93/87%. In the F-refractory group, 49% exhibited 17p- and 20% had 11q-. Pretreated patients had received a median of 3 (F-refractory) or 2 prior lines (17p- relapse) and 93/72% had received rituximab. 5 pts had previously undergone autologous and 1 pt allo-SCT. This analysis includes data for induction therapy of all eligible pts (n=42/28/61). Of these 74/57/54% received the full induction of 36 A applications, with a median duration of 11.6 weeks (range 0.6 – 33.4). ORR was generally high with 98/79/70%. Current CR rates are 19/4/3%, in part due to missing bone marrow examination (5/0/1 pts). After a median follow-up of 21 months (mo), median progression-free survival (PFS) was 38/10.3/11.6 mo. Median overall survival (OS) was not reached (>36 mo) in the 1st line group, and 21.3/17.3 mo in 17p- relapse/F-refractory pts. Consolidation treatment was maintenance A (median duration 34 weeks, range 2 – 112) in 37%, and allo-SCT in 27%, with a median age of 69 and 57.5 y in these subgroups. The main reasons for going off-study without consolidation were death due to infection (12%, n=16, of these 13 in the F-refractory cohort and 10 without response), PD (10%), and toxicity (10%). Among the 47 pts not receiving consolidation, there were 32 (68%) deaths, 23 of them in the F-refractory cohort. When comparing A maintenance and allo-SCT for consolidation, there were 23 (49%) and 12 (35%) PD events, respectively, with a trend favoring SCT (median 24.7 vs. 17 mo, p = 0.13). During induction, grade 3/4 consisted of anemia 30%, neutropenia 46%, thrombopenia 42%, and non-CMV infection 24% of 17p- 1st-line, 29% of 17p- relapsed, and 38% of F-refractory pts. CMV reactivation was observed in 55/33/43%, without severe sequelae. During A maintenance, grade 3/4 toxicity consisted of neutropenia in 43% pts and thrombopenia in 6% pts with 10 SAEs (ITP, diarrhea, infection (2), septic shock, erythema, tachycardia and cardiac decompensation, syncope, pulmonary embolism and thrombosis), reported for 7 pts (4/1/2 pts). So far, 7 pts with consolidation by allo-SCT have died, of these 5 due to infection, 1 due to PD (Richter transformation), and 1 due to complications of acute GVHD. Conclusions: The combination of A and D shows relatively high CR and ORR, with promising preliminary findings for PFS and OS, as compared to ORR/CR of 68%/5%, and median PFS of 11.3 mo in the 17p- subgroup of the FCR arm of the CLL8 study. On the other hand, in F-refractory CLL, the higher ORR does not seem to translate into a major improvement of long-term results, when compared to single-agent A. Allo-SCT may offer PFS and OS superior to maintenance A, but confirmation of this trend requires more mature follow-up and multivariate analysis. Disclosures: Stilgenbauer: Genzyme: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Ibach:WiSP CRO: Employment.

Abstract 1796 Introduction: FCR chemoimmunotherapy is recommended as first line therapy for fit cll patients. Since the 2007 EBMT guidelines based on the previously published trials using FCR, the definition of high risk CLL has evolved, to include biologic parameters (TP53 disruption by deletion/mutation, high b2-microglobulin level, IgVH unmutated, complex karyotype), refractoriness (progression during fluda-based regimen or within 6mo of completion), and also remission duration (high risk if PFS after FCR Patients and methods: In this multicentric retrospective study, we collected data from 117 patients who relapsed after FCR first line therapy and received second-line therapy (according to NCI2008 guidelines). Results: At the time of initial FCR therapy: patients characteristics were as follows: Binet B/C 87.2%, unmutated IgVH 52.2%, del11q 25.6% (n=30/81 with FISH available), del17p 6.8% (n=8/87 with FISH available), bulk>5cm 22%, complex karyotype 21% (n=12/57 with karyotype available). FCR yielded 93% ORR, with 66% clinical CR, 27% PR, and 7% failed to respond. Median PFS and TTNT were 27mo and 32.5mo, respectively. At the time of relapse: patients characteristics were as follows: del11q 16.4% (n=19/65 with FISH available), del17p 19% (n=22/77), bulk>5cm 26%, complex karyotype 44% (n=24/54 with karyotype available). According to FCR remission duration, 11.1% of patients were considered as truly FCR-refractory, 47% had PFS65y, del17p (20% vs 0%) and complex karyotype (38% vs11%), but not with gender, IgVH status, del11q, or bulk>5cm. Based on FCR-refractoriness, or TTNT Various regimen were used for second-line treatment after FCR: R-bendamustine (n=47, 40.2%), alemtuzumab-based therapy (single agent or with chemo/dexa, n=22, 18.8%), R-CHOP (n=15, 12.8%), FCR (n=14, 12%), and other miscellaneous regimens (as follows: R-alkylator (n=6, 5.1%), R-DHAP (n=4, 3.4%), R-methylprednisolone (n=3, 2.6%), or investigational drugs (n=6, 5.1%)). Thus, 74.3% of patients received a second course including rituximab-based chemotherapy. Overall response rate was 78.4%, with 13.8% clinical CR, 64.6% PR, and 21.6% failure/stable disease. 14 pts (12%) underwent stem cell transplantations, 8 had maintenance therapy ongoing (ofatumumab, alemtuzumab, or lenalidomide). With regards to factors defining high-risk relapse, distribution of salvage therapies was as follows: As expected, a second course of FCR was seldom used in high-risk patients. Among ultra-high risk patients, 30.3% received R-benda, 11.3% Alem-based Rx, 32% R-CHOP and 18% the miscellaneous regimens described above. After second-line therapy, median PFS was 12 months, median TTNT was 14mo, and median OS was 36mo (20 deaths). On univariate analysis, complex karyotype (p=0.04) but not del17p (p=0.1), PFS Conclusions: This study shows that there are no consensus for second line therapy after FCR. Second line trials after FCR therapy are warranted. Definition of high-risk subsets of patients at relapse after FCR is of upmost importance in the management of CLL, to compare second-line strategies. Our data suggest that R-bendamustine is an efficient regimen even in high-risk patients (complex karyotype, PFS Disclosures: Aurran-Schleinitz: Roche: Honoraria. Leblond:Roche: Advisory Board Other, Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Mundipharma: Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria.

Abstract 434 Introduction: The German CLL8 trial has demonstrated that addition of R to FC improves quality and durability of response in CLL (Hallek et al, 2010), which has led to the recommendation of FCR as first line therapy for fit patients. Although elderly patients were included in the CLL8 trial (up to 81 y-old), the median age of the cohort was 61 y, thus at least 10 y younger than median age at CLL diagnosis. The elderly population is underrepresented in clinical trials and it is still not clear how FCR should be applied in this subgroup. In December 2007, the French intergroup launched the LLC 2007 SA trial (NCT00645606) in which CLL patients aged > 65 y receive an induction with abbreviated FCR followed by randomization between observation or maintenance with rituximab. We now report the safety and efficacy of the induction part in the first 200 patients enrolled in this study. Patients and methods: Stage B or C previously untreated fit (CIRS ≤ 6, CCR ≥ 60 ml/min, PS ≤ 1) CLL patients aged > 65 y needing treatment (NCI criteria) were included. Patients with del17p and/or Matutes scoring < 4 were excluded. From these 200 first patients included, 6 were removed because of incorrect inclusion (n=4) or consent withdrawal (n=2). In total, 194 patients (included between Dec/07 and Feb/10) were analyzed. FCR consisted of four monthly cycles of oral FC (F 40 mg/msq/d and C 250 mg/msq/d, × 3d) and iv R (375 mg/msq d1 cycle 1, 500 mg/msq d14 cycle 1, d1 and 14 of cycle 2, and d1 of cycles 3 and 4). Response was assessed by NCI criteria. MRD analysis was done using 6-color FCM in PB and BM. No later than 90 d after the last FCR, patients were further randomized as per protocol. Disease outcome after randomization remains completely blinded to date. Results: The median age was 71 y (range 65–85) and 65% were males. 83% had CIRS between 0 and 3. Binet stage was B in 127 (65.5%) and C in 67 (34.5%). Median (n=143) Beta-2-microglobulin was 4 mg/L (range 2–8). Fifty-six % had unmutated IgVH and FISH revealed 18% with del11q, 15% with trisomy 12, and 57% with del13q. Karyotype (ODN+IL2-stimulated) was abnormal in 67%. Balanced and unbalanced translocations were seen in 16% and 17%, respectively. Complex (>2 abn) karyotype occurred in 14% of the patients. Toxicity: 167 (86%) received all four cycles of FCR. Only 4.6% and 3.2% of patients did not receive d14 rituximab at cycle 1 and 2, respectively. 158 patients (81%) could proceed to the randomization (the main reason for failure was insufficient marrow recovery). Dose delay (by ≥ 1 w) and dose reduction (by ≥ 25% of F and C) for cycles 2, 3, and 4 were 12% and 7%, 14% and 8%, 15% and 11%, respectively. Neutropenia g3/4 occurred after cycle 1, 2, 3 and 4, in 46% (19% g4), 50% (21% g4), 53% (29% g4), and 46% (26% g4) of the patients. G-CSF was given in 32%, 46%, 48%, and 52% of them after cycles 1, 2, 3, and 4. G4 thrombocytopenia occurred in less than 2% of the cycles. G3/4 anemia was seen in 11%, 7%, 6%, and 3% of the patients after cycle 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. G 3/4 infectious events occurred in 6.2%, 4.8%, 7.6%, and 6.2% of the patients after each of the 4 cycles. Seventy SAE (including 46 febrile neutropenia and/or documented infection) were declared in 53 patients during the induction and the period of recovery prior to randomization. In total, 6.3% of the 732 cycles were followed by febrile neutropenia or infection qualified as SAE. Six deaths (all infections) occurred during induction, corresponding to a 3.1% (6/194) death rate from immediate toxicity. Efficacy: Among 188 evaluable patients, complete responses (CR) were observed in 19.7%, nodular partial response (PR) in 2.7%, and PR in 73.9%, for an ORR of 96.3%, using stringent criteria. According to the updated guidelines of 2008 (Hallek), CR, CRi, and PR rates were 19.7%, 13.3%, and 63.3%, respectively. Conclusion: Four cycles of oral FC combined with 6 doses of R appear feasible in elderly patients with CLL; only 14% cannot receive the 4 courses and only 19% cannot proceed to randomization planned at day 90 post FCR4. Dose reduction and treatment interruption are unusual despite strict stopping criteria. Grade 3/4 neutropenia is frequent but rarely translates into serious infection. The response rate is high, and further analysis of MRD eradication is ongoing and will be presented. In conclusion, this approach could enable the safe administration of FCR to elderly fit CLL patients in first line. Long-term toxicity, occurring after randomization, will be scrutinized. Disclosures: Dartigeas: Roche: Consultancy. Van Den Neste:Roche: Consultancy. Leblond:Mundipharma: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria.

Abstract 1795 Introduction. The combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) has become the core combination of modern frontline chemotherapy for fit and young B-CLL patients (pts). Recently the association with rituximab to FC (IV administration) has been shown to increase the response and extend both progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in untreated pts (Hallek et al., Lancet 2010). So far few data are available concerning the very long term outcome of pts treated by FC containing regimen. Methods. We previously reported a prospective phase II trial (Cazin et al., BJH 2008) of the oral combination of FC over 5 days in 75 patients with untreated B-CLL and less than 66 years old. The study was conducted between October 1999 and February 2001. Briefly, oral FC then demonstrated high efficacy with overall response rate (ORR) and complete response (CR) rate of 80% and 53% respectively despite the absence of rituximab in this regimen. We here propose to examine 10-year end points of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), impact of genomic features, and risk of therapy-related myeloid neoplasm (t-MN) by updating survival data of all the pts incuded in this trial. Results. With a median follow-up of 10.7 years, the median 10-year OS was 51.7%. Responders presented better 10-year OS than non-responders (57% vs. 38%, p=0.031) but quality of response (CR vs. PR) did not significantly impact 10-year OS. A major prognostic impact of IGVH mutational status could be observed since 10-year OS was 81% for mutated patients vs. 44% for unmutated pts (p=0.012). The median 10-year PFS was 30% and clearly influenced by the mutational status (50% if mutated profile vs. 12% if unmutated profile, p=0.02). However there is no trend of a plateau and even long term responding patients still relapse with time. Finally, only one patient developed t-MN but 9 others presented solid neoplasms. Conclusion. Long-term follow-up of B-CLL patients prospectively treated in a phase II clinical trial demonstrates extended OS and PFS with oral FC without high risk of t-MN. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 3900 Current treatment approaches in CLL aim at achieving the best clinical response without detectable minimal residual disease (MRD) in order to prolong the duration of response and potentially overall survival. Such a goal could be achieved by combining chemotherapy and monoclonal antibodies. This phase II trial was designed to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of alemtuzumab given as consolidation therapy after 3 courses of oral FC (F 40 mg/m2 and C 250 mg/m2 D1 to D3 every 4 weeks) in patients (pts) aged 65 to 70 years with previously untreated Binet stage B or C CLL. Pts who had achieved either complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) after FC were eligible for consolidation with alemtuzumab. Alemtuzumab was administered subcutaneously (SC) at the dose of 10 mg thrice a week for 8 consecutive weeks. CMV antigenemia was monitored every week and alemtuzumab should be discontinued in pts with more than 3 positive nuclei. Such stringent stopping rules for CMV reactivation, as well as the limitation of FC regimen to 3 courses and of the duration of alemtuzumab treatment to 8 weeks, were adopted in this trial targeting elderly patients in their first line treatment because of the severe infectious toxicities reported by others with similar strategies. MRD was evaluated by 6 color flow cytometry before, during and after alemtuzumab treatment and all samples were centralized in one center (RL & FC). From June 2004 to January 2008, 55 patients with advanced (stage B or C) fully annotated CLL have been recruited in 14 french centers. Response to induction is evaluable in 51 of them (suicide before FC 1 pt and missing data 3 pts). A CR was achieved in 18 pts (34.6%) and a PR in 22 pts (42.3%) for an overall response rate (ORR) of 77% after 3 courses of FC. FC regimen was discontinued in 6 pts (progression 1 pt, renal carcinoma 1 pt, neutropenia 2 pts, PRCA 1 pt, myocardial infarction 1 pt) and a stable disease was observed in 5 pts. All the responding pts except two of them (onset of breast cancer in one CR pt and of lung carcinoma in one PR pt) proceeded to alemtuzumab consolidation after a planned 2 month period of rest (median 63 days, range 33 to 152). Alemtuzumab treatment was fully completed in 29/38 pts (76%) while it has been stopped prematurely (mainly between the 6th and 8th weeks) in 9 pts (24%). CMV reactivation occurred in 8 pts (21%) but it was associated with systemic symptoms in only one case (febrile pneumonia). A grade 3–4 neutropenia was observed in 9 pts at some point during alemtuzumab treatment. Eleven of the 21 PR pts (52%) converted from PR to CR after alemtuzumab consolidation while 2 patients went down from CR to PR. Overall, 26 pts were in CR after the whole treatment strategy (FC followed by alemtuzumab) accounting for 51% of the entire cohort. Blood MRD could be assessed sequentially in roughly two thirds of pts. While all patients but one (33/34 pts) were MRD positive after chemotherapy and before alemtuzumab treatment, only 8/22 pts (36%) had detectable MRD at the sensitivity level of 10-4 after the end of alemtuzumab consolidation, and 12 out of the 25 assessed pts (48%) still had undetectable MRD at 6 months after the end of treatment. With a median follow up of 34 months (range 2 to 58), only 6 out of the 38 pts (16%) who received FC followed by alemtuzumab consolidation, had CLL disease progression. Five patients have died but only one from CLL (solid tumors 3 pts, stroke 1 pt). No serious delayed infectious complication was observed and two patients developed auto-immune cytopenia (AIHA 1 pt and ITP 1 pt). Because of the few number of events (disease progression) observed so far, no correlation between the duration of response and the MRD data could be done by now. In conclusion, three courses of FC only yielded a rather high response rate in previously untreated elderly CLL patients and a short (8 weeks) alemtuzumab consolidation course could thereafter be administered safely, leading to a high rate of PR to CR switches, a high proportion of patients with undetectable blood MRD after the end of treatment and durable responses. Disclosures: Cazin: LFB Biotechnologies: Honoraria. Cymbalista:Roche (d) Mundipharma (e) Genzyme (e): Honoraria, Research Funding.

Abstract 2862 Background: LFB-R603 is a next generation anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) with an optimised glycosylation profile resulting in high antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. A weekly × 4 dose regimen of LFB-R603 has been found to induce rapid, profound and sustained blood lymphocyte depletion in patients (pts) with advanced stage CLL in a multicentre first-in human dose-escalation phase I study*. Aims: A second part of the phase I study designed to evaluate a weekly × 8 dose regimen was initiated in April 2010. Objectives were to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics and potential efficacy of LFB-R603 in pts with CLL relapsing after at least one prior course of therapy with fludarabine. Methods: Twelve pts were included. A flat dose of LFB-R603 was administered once a week for 8 weeks consisting of an initial dose of 150 mg followed by 7 doses of 450 mg (total dose 3300 mg). Premedication consisted of allopurinol, dexchlorpheniramine and acetaminophen, combined with methylprednisolone 1mg/kg before the first two infusions. Results: Median age was 69.5 years [62–77], median time from diagnosis to inclusion was 10.4 years [4.0–23.6], number of prior therapies was 3 [1–8]. Seven pts received at least one prior rituximab-containing regimen (median number was 1 [1–3]). Two pts presented with 17p deletion. Bulky (>5cm) lymph node enlargement was observed in 4 pts, splenomegaly in 9 pts, and hepatomegaly in 4 pts. Median WBC count at baseline was 48.5×109/l [9.9–154.2], hemoglobin 11.9 g/dl [7.3–14.0] and platelets 102×109/l [13–193]. Median lymphocyte bone marrow infiltration was 85% [40–94]. Pharmacokinetic (PK) data showed an increase of mean Cmax, AUC¥ and t1/2 term from the first to the eighth infusion from 23.4 to 220.5 mg/L, 732 to 50, 760 mg.h/L, and 13.4 to 147.8 h, respectively whereas mean CL decreased from 424 to 38.6 mL/h. Median lymphocyte counts and relative circulating lymphocyte depletions from baseline at D8, D29, M2, M 4, and M 6 are presented in the table below. Response was evaluated at month 4 according to updated NCI-WG guidelines. Among 11 evaluable pts, overall response rate was 45% (5/11) corresponding to 5 pts in durable partial response (PR). Two additional pts were in PR at month 4 not confirmed 2 months later and 4 pts were in stable disease. Pts with 17p deletion and/or bulky tumor were in stable disease. All pts but one received the planned 8 infusions without any dose reduction. One patient was prematurely withdrawn from the study due to a concomitant secondary leukemia diagnosed after the 2nd infusion of LFB-R603. Interim safety data indicate that all pts presented with at least one drug-related adverse event (AE). Forty percent of the AEs were related to the first infusion, 18% to the second, and 21% to the subsequent infusions. The most frequent (> 10%) drug-related AEs were infusion related reactions (IRR) (75% of the pts, including 33% of pts with grade 3 (CT-CAE v3.0) IRR), neutropenia (58%; 33% with grade 3 and 25% with grade 4), grade 1–2 pyrexia (42%), grade 1–2 thrombocytopenia (42%), grade 1–2 infections (25%), chills (17%), asthenia (17%), and grade 3 hepatic cytolysis (17%). One pt experienced a grade 4 drug-related pancytopenia. All AEs were reversible spontaneously or with supportive care intervention. Conclusion: LFB-R603 induces a promising 45% of ORR in pts with advanced stage CLL at a relatively low dose regimen. PK data indicates that the dose and the schedule of administration could be optimized. Toxicity of LFB-R603 is manageable and makes possible a combination with chemotherapy. Disclosures: Cazin: LFB Biotechnologies: Honoraria. Leprêtre:LFB Biotechnologies: Honoraria. Coiffier:LFB Biotechnologies: Honoraria. Cartron:GSK: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; LFB: Honoraria. Sadoun:LFB Biotechnologies: Employment. Segaud:LFB Biotechnologies: subcontractor. Ribrag:LFB Biotechnologies: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Abstract 2854 Alemtuzumab (A) proved to be efficacious in CLL patients (pts) with very poor prognosis, either due to fludarabine (F) refractoriness or due to unfavorable cytogenetics (17p-). However, rate and duration of remissions still remain unsatisfactory. Therefore, the French and German CLL study groups jointly embarked on this trial, trying to achieve higher overall response rates (ORR) by adding high-dose dexamethasone (D) to A and, simultaneously, investigating the consolidation effect of prolonged A maintenance or allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT), respectively. Induction treatment consisted of subcutaneous A 30 mg weekly × 3 for 28 days, combined with oral D 40 mg on days 1–4 and 15–18, and prophylactic pegfilgrastim 6 mg on days 1 and 15. Depending on the remission status, pts were treated for up to 12 weeks. If CR was documented at 4 or 8 weeks, or at least SD was achieved at 12 weeks, consolidation was scheduled with either allo-SCT or A maintenance with 30 mg every 14 days for up to 2 years (y), at the discretion of pt and physician. Between January 2008 and July 2011, 124 pts were recruited at 26 centers, 120 of whom were eligible. Pts were generally subdivided into three cohorts: 55 pts were refractory (i.e. no response or relapse within 6 months) to regimens containing F or a similar drug (i.e. pentostatin, cladribine, bendamustine). Non-refractory pts all exhibited 17p- and had either untreated (n=39) or relapsed CLL (n = 26) requiring therapy. The median age was high with 66/64/66 y in 17p- 1st line, 17p- relapse, and F-refractory pts, respectively. The three cohorts had 46/54/75% Binet C disease, 41/35/27% B symptoms, 38/42/53% reduced performance status (ECOG 1/2), median thymidine kinase levels of 35/49/24 U/L, median ß2MG levels of 3.8/5.5/4.6 mg/L, and IGHV was unmutated in 89/96/87%. In the F-refractory group, 53% exhibited 17p deletion and 22% had 11q deletion. Pretreated patients had received a median of 3 (F-refractory) or 2 prior lines (17p- relapse). 5 pts had previously undergone autologous and 1 pt allo-SCT. Treatment and efficacy data are currently available for 87 pts who completed induction therapy :17p- 1st-line (n=30), 17p- relapse (n=17), and F-refractory (n=40). Of these, 80/53/55% received the full induction of 12 weeks. ORR (best observed status) was generally high with 97/76/70%. CR was achieved in 20/0/5%. After a median follow-up of 11.8 months (mo), median progression-free survival (PFS) was 16.9/10.4/8.4 mo. Deaths are recorded in 13/27/36% of pts, with median overall survival (OS) not yet reached (>24 mo) in the 17p- 1st line group, and 15/12 mo in 17p- relapse/F-refractory pts. Consolidation treatment was performed as maintenance A (median duration 32 weeks, range 2 – 89) in 34%, and allo-SCT in 30%, with a median age of 66 and 61 y in these subgroups. The main reasons for going off-study without consolidation were death due to infection (14%, n=11, of these 6 without response, and 10 in the F-refractory cohort), CLL progression (12%), and other toxicity (5%). Among the 28 pts not receiving consolidation, there were 19 (68%) deaths, 15 of them in the F-refractory cohort. When comparing A maintenance and allo-SCT for consolidation, there were 9 (35%) and 7 (30%) PD events, respectively and there was so far no significant difference in PFS (median 17 mo in both groups) or OS. During induction, grade 3/4 hematotoxicity consisted of anemia in 28%, neutropenia in 47%, and thrombopenia in 44%. Grade 3/4 non-CMV infection occurred in 29% of 17p- 1st-line, 15% of 17p- relapsed, and 56% of F-refractory pts. CMV reactivation was observed in 54/25/40%, without severe sequelae recorded. During A maintenance, grade 3/4 toxicity consisted of neutropenia in 39% pts and thrombopenia in 4% pts with 6 SAEs (ITP, diarrhea, infection, erythema, tachycardia, and thrombosis). Conclusions: The combination of A and D shows high response rates in ultra high-risk CLL, with promising preliminary findings for PFS and OS, despite the high median age of the pts. The results compare favorably to ORR/CR of 68%/5%, and median PFS of 11.3 mo in the 17p- subgroup of the CLL8 study treated with FCR, consisting of younger pts (median 61 y). In F-refractory CLL however, when compared to the preceding CLL2H study with single agent A, the improved initial response by adding dexamethasone does not seem to translate into improved long-term results. More mature follow-up is needed, especially with respect to the impact of allo-SCT. Disclosures: Stilgenbauer: Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genzyme: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Off Label Use: Alemtuzumab in 1st line CLL treatment. Cymbalista:Roche (d) Mundipharma (e) Genzyme (e): Honoraria, Research Funding. Hinke:WiSP (CRO): Employment.

Abstract 4625 CLL - Therapy, excluding Transplantation Acadesine induces cell death in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells in a dose-dependent manner. Acadesine enters B-cells where it is phosphorylated to ZMP, which induces apoptosis independently of ATM or p53. It is active in vitro against CLL cells from patients who have not responded to prior treatment with fludarabine and/or chlorambucil. A phase I/II open-labeled clinical study was designed to determine the safety and tolerability of acadesine given intravenously as a 4-hour infusion to patients with CLL. Part I is the dose escalation part of the study where patients receive a single dose of acadesine on Day 1 and are followed up to Day 22. In Part II, patients will receive up to 5 doses of acadesine at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) identified in Part I over a period of up to 20 days. Patient population includes CLL patients with relapsed/refractory disease who have received one or more prior lines of treatment including either a fludarabine or an alkylator-based regimen. A patient is defined as having refractory disease if they fail to achieve less than a partial response (PR) according to the NCI working group guidelines, or relapse within the first 6 months after treatment after achieving at least partial response. Primary endpoints of the study evaluate the safety and tolerability of acadesine. Secondary endpoints evaluate the pharmacokinetics of acadesine and ZMP, and B and T-cell counts in peripheral blood as efficacy biomarkers. Twenty-one patients have been included to date, eighteen in Part I at doses of 50, 83.5, 139.5, 210 or 315 mg/kg, and three in Part II, with two doses at 210 mg/kg at days 1 and 4. Pharmacokinetic data showed acadesine is rapidly converted into ZMP inside blood cells. In part I, at single acadesine dose, the Cmax levels for ZMP in whole blood obtained at 315 mg/kg were similar to the ones obtained at the previous dose (210 mg/kg), suggesting that the saturation plateau was reached, which was confirmed by the PK modeling. In 5 patients treated with acadesine at 210 mg/kg and 315 mg/kg a decrease in absolute B cell count was observed, ranging from 6% to 54% with respect to the B cell count prior to acadesine administration. Reversible asymptomatic hyperuricaemia was observed in four patients in cohorts 1 to 3, probably due the metabolism of acadesine to ZMP and uric acid. Prophylactic allopurinol was used in cohorts 4 and 5 and it has significantly reduced the incidence of hyperuricaemia. Acadesine 315 mg/kg was the dose limiting toxicity (DLT) dose with 2 of 3 patients having DLTs-Tumour Lysis Syndrome (TLS) and clinically significant acute renal failure (CTCAE V3.0 Grade 3-chronic dialysis not indicated). We started Part II of the study, with two consecutive doses at 210 mg/kg (Optimal Biological Dose). Three patients have been included to date. No DLT nor grade 3 or 4 Adverse Events related to acadesine were observed, and in all of treated patients a decrease in absolute B cell count was observed ranging from 6% to 35% with respect to the B cell count prior to acadesine administration. In the following cohort, we will administer 5 consecutive doses of acadesine at 210 mg/kg, at days 1, 4, 8, 11 and 15. In conclusion, a MTD was found at one single acadesine dose. Two consecutive doses have already been tested without safety concerns and 5 consecutive doses are currently planned in part II of this ongoing study. Results for this cohort and additional safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy data will be presented at the meeting. Disclosures: Saunders: Advancell: Consultancy. de Frias:Advancell: Employment. Campàs:Advancell: Employment.