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Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an increased incidence of MDS in patients with plasma cell disorder (PCD) i.e. multiple myeloma (MM) or MGUS and several case reports / series of co-occurring MDS and PCD have been published. The underlying pathogenesis for this condition, and if the two diseases share a common genetic lesion remains unknown. Here, we describe a cohort of 27 consecutive patients with co-occurring MDS and MM (n=6), MGUS (n=20) or plasmocytoma (n=1), diagnosed at the Karolinska University Hospital. In 5 patients, the diagnosis of MGUS preceded the diagnosis of MDS , in one patient the MDS diagnosis preceded PCD, and in 21 patients MDS and PCD were diagnosed at the same time. There was a preponderance for lower-risk MDS subgroups with only 3 patients belonging to the IPSS-R high / very high risk groups. Median overall survival for the whole cohort was 44 months. The most common mutations were TET2, SRSF2 and SF3B1. To identify potential common founder clones, we performed whole exome sequencing on isolated bone marrow myeloid-, plasma- and T-cells from 9 patients. In none of the patients, we could detect a common founder mutation and the two diseases have likely emerged from separate clones.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a premalignant clonal plasma cell disorder, with a 1% yearly risk of progression to Multiple Myeloma (MM). Evolution of M-spike and serum Free Light Chain (sFLC) during follow-up could identify patients at high risk of progression. In this region-wide study, including 4756 individuals, 987 patients with MGUS were identified and baseline factors as well as evolving involved FLC (iFLC) were evaluated as potential markers for risk of progression from MGUS to MM. Furthermore, evolving iFLC and M-spike were assessed quarterly for a median of five years. At baseline, patients that progressed had significantly higher iFLC compared to non-progressors. The risk factors of M-spike >1.5g/dl, age >65 years and iFLC >100mg/L were all independently associated with increased risk of MGUS to MM progression. For patients that had any two-three risk factors, the five-year cumulative probability of progression was significantly higher (31%) compared to no risk factors (2%). Evolving iFLC >100mg/L during follow-up was consistently associated with increased risk of progression. Based on our observations, we propose to include iFLC as a monitoring tool for all MGUS patients. Furthermore, we recommend a quarterly monitoring in all high-risk patients. Finally, we suggest that the risk of MGUS progression should be stratified with age, M-spike, and iFLC at baseline. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND Little is reported on the real-life impact of daratumumab in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma patients (RRMM). We analyzed a cohort of 156 patients who received daratumumab as a single agent concerning ECOG status, eGFR, cytogenetics, lines of prior treatment, and their impact on survival. RESULTS Eighty-two (53%) patients were triple refractory, 54 (35%) patients were single or double refractory, and 20 (12%) patients were non-refractory. Following daratumumab treatment, the progression-free survival (PFS) in these groups was 7.2%, 11.4%, and 53% (P

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable and aggressive plasma cell malignancy characterized by a complex karyotype with multiple structural variants (SVs) and copy number variations (CNVs). Linked-read whole-genome sequencing (lrWGS) allows for refined detection and reconstruction of SVs by providing long-range genetic information from standard short-read sequencing. This makes lrWGS an attractive solution for capturing the full genomic complexity of MM. Here we show that high-quality lrWGS data can be generated from low numbers of FACS sorted cells without DNA purification. Using this protocol, we analyzed FACS sorted MM cells from 37 MM patients with lrWGS. We found high concordance between lrWGS and FISH for the detection of recurrent translocations and CNVs. Outside of the regions investigated by FISH, we identified >150 additional SVs and CNVs across the cohort. Analysis of the lrWGS data allowed for resolving the structure of diverse SVs affecting the MYC and t(11;14) loci causing the duplication of genes and gene regulatory elements. In addition, we identified private SVs causing the dysregulation of genes recurrently involved in translocations with the IGH locus and show that these can alter the molecular classification of the MM. Overall, we conclude that lrWGS allows for the detection of aberrations critical for MM prognostics and provides a feasible route for providing comprehensive genetics. Implementing lrWGS could provide more accurate clinical prognostics, facilitate genomic medicine initiatives, and greatly improve the stratification of patients included in clinical trials.KEY POINTS- Linked-read WGS can be performed without DNA purification and allows for resolving the diverse structural variants found in multiple myeloma.- Linked-read WGS can, as a stand-alone assay, provide comprehensive genetics in myeloma and other diseases with complex genomes.

OBJECTIVES At our center, patients with multiple myeloma (MM) were treated upfront with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (VCD) until cyclophosphamide was replaced with lenalidomide in the combination (VRD). These treatments have never been compared head-to-head in large real-life patient material. METHOD A retrospective analysis of patients treated with VRD and VCD in the first line, both with and without subsequent high-dose treatment (HDT) and autologous stem cell transplantation. A total of 681 patients were included, 117 receiving VRD (71 with, 46 without HDT) and 564 receiving VCD (351 with, 213 without HDT). RESULTS Overall response rate (≥partial response) was higher with VRD compared to VCD in the entire VRD group (98% vs 88%, P

Approximately 20% of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients harbor t(11;14), a marker of inferior prognosis, resulting in up-regulation of CCND1. These patients respond to BCL2 inhibitor experimental drug venetoclax. Furthermore, t(11;14) is reported to be associated with increased BCL2/MCL1 ratio. We investigated the use of venetoclax (400 mg daily) in a cohort of 25 multiple myeloma (MM) and AL-amyloidosis patients harboring t(11;14) and assessed safety and efficacy. Efficacy was assessed by response rate (RR) and time on treatment. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry (IHC), for BCL2 family member expression was assessed at diagnosis and relapse in the venetoclax-treated group and analyzed for correlation with clinical RR. Additionally, patient material from venetoclax non-treated group including non-t(11;14) diagnosis (n=27), t(11;14) diagnosis (n=17), t(11;14) relapse (n=7), hyperdiploidy (n=6) and hyperdiploidy+t(11;14) (n=6) was used for RNA sequencing (RNASeq) and validation by qPCR. Venetoclax treatment in t(11;14) patients demonstrated manageable safety and promising efficacy. Partial responses or better were observed in eleven patients (44%). Responding patients had significantly higher BCL2/MCL1 (p=0.031) as well as BCL2/BCL-XL (p=0.021) ratio, regardless of time of measurement before venetoclax treatment. Furthermore, an IRF5 motif was enriched (p adj.=5.9×10-8 ) in the downregulated genes in t(11;14) relapses vs. diagnoses. The RR with single agent venetoclax was 71% in AL-amyloidosis and 33% in MM, and IHC proved useful in prediction of treatment outcome. We could also demonstrate possible resistance mechanisms of t(11;14), downregulation of IRF5 targeted genes, which can be exploited for therapeutic advantages. This study was funded by Cancerfonden:190190Pj01. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Serum and urine protein electrophoresis (sPEP/uPEP) are the standard methods for monitoring of multiple myeloma (MM). However, a method of detection with shorter half-life, such as serum-free light chain (FLC), could detect the response or progression earlier. In total, 450 MM patients were assessed in first, second, and third line. Response and progression were classified according to International myeloma working group guidelines. The overall median time to partial response or better was detectable significantly earlier with involved free light chain (iFLC) 1.94 months (IQR: 1.61-2.23) compared to sPEP 5.39 months (IQR: 3.88-7.00). In first line, iFLC detected progression earlier compared to sPEP, particularly in patients with progression more than 18 months after best response. In conclusion, a response observed by iFLC occurs at least a median of 3 months before response is detected by sPEP/uPEP.

Few approaches have been made toward exploring autologous NK cells in settings of cancer immunotherapy. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of infusing multiple doses of

COVID‐19 has emerged as a global pandemic. Cancer patients have been reported to be at higher risk for adverse outcome of COVID‐19. Studies are ongoing to decipher the risk factors and risk groups among cancer patients as well as strategies to refine treatment approaches. Here, we report eight patients with multiple myeloma that underwent immunomodulatory therapies with daratumumab or lenalidomide‐based combination treatments and one patient with smoldering multiple myeloma, all of which presented with symptomatic COVID‐19. We report that patients that succumbed to COVID‐19 presented with either progressive tumor disease under daratumumab treatment or were in remission under lenalidomide‐dexamethasone treatment.

Introduction: Immunotherapies are gaining more and more importance in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). Antibodies directed against MM antigens like CD38, SLAMF7 or BCMA are used either in their natural form, conjugated to drugs, or in the form of bispecific T-cell engagers. Cellular therapies make use of cytotoxic lymphocytes, i.e. T cells or NK cells that can also be modified to express chimeric antigen receptors to target MM cells. Combinations of antibody and cellular therapies could further improve the outcome as, for example, NK cells can mediate antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, NK cells also express CD38 and SLAMF7 and would be targeted by the therapeutic antibodies against these antigens. We have recently reported our clinical study infusing multiple doses of ex vivo activated and expanded autologous NK cells in six patients with MM post autologous stem-cell transplantation (EudraCT 2010-022330-83). Here, we report results of a phenotypic analysis of the ex vivo expanded NK cells and peripheral blood NK cells before and after infusion with implications for possible combination therapies. Methods: Ex vivo activated and expanded NK cells and NK cells in peripheral blood of the patients were analyzed by multiparameter flow cytometry. Peripheral blood cells were taken from the non-NK cell infusion arm before and at three different timepoints after infusion. NK-cell sub-populations within these samples were analyzed using t-SNE clustering. Results: Upon ex vivo activation and expansion, we observed that the NK cells gained a unique activated phenotype including populations of CD56 brightCD16 +Ki67 +HLA-DR + NK cells. Interestingly, these NK cells showed a reduced expression of CD38 compared to peripheral blood NK cells. Clustering analyses of data from peripheral blood samples revealed the gradual appearance of a new NK cell population with a similar phenotype in a dose-dependent fashion over four hours following infusion of the NK cell product. Infused NK cells could be detected in circulation up to four weeks after the last infusion. Like the NK cell infusion product, these cells expressed little to none CD38, high levels of NKG2D, 2B4, TIM-3, and TIGIT and similar levels of SLAMF7 compared to peripheral blood NK cells. Conclusions: The persistent high expression of CD16 and the low expression of CD38 in infused NK cells offers the choice to combine ex vivo activated and expanded NK cells with anti-CD38 antibody therapy without concern for antibody-mediated NK-cell death. Based on these findings, we have started a clinical trial testing this combined therapy (NCT04558931). Disclosures Nahi: XNK Therapeutics AB: Consultancy. Chrobook: XNK Therapeutics AB: Consultancy. Meinke: XNK Therapeutics AB: Consultancy, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Gilljam: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company. Stellan: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company. Walther-Jallow: XNK Therapeutics: Other: Shareholder in the company. Liwing: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current Employment. Gahrton: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company; Fujimoto Pharmaceutical Corporation Japan: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ljungman: Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Endpoint committee, speaker; OctaPharma: Other: DSMB; Enanta: Other: DSMB; Merck: Other: Investigator, speaker; AiCuris: Consultancy; Janssen: Other: Investigator. Ljunggren: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Alici: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company.

Objectives The most common translocation in multiple myeloma (MM) is t(11;14)(q13;q32), and its importance as prognostic factor has been controversial. The aim was to analyze its prognostic value. Method In this retrospective study of 469 newly diagnosed myeloma patients, outcomes in patients with (11;14) and standard risk (t(11;14)SR) or high risk (t(11;14)HR) cytogenetics were compared to outcomes of patients without t(11;14) and SR (non-t(11;14)SR) or HR (non-t(11;14)HR), respectively. Results Overall progression-free survival (PFS) was shorter in t(11;14)SR than non-t(11;14)SR (median 28.9 vs 35.3 months); however, the difference was not significant (P = .2). Overall survival (OS) did not differ significantly between the groups. In the subgroup of patients that did not receive high-dose treatment, PFS was shorter for t(11;14)SR compared to non-t(11;14)SR, 10.6 vs 24.6 months (P = .01). Although OS were shorter for t(11,14)SR compared to non-t(11;14)SR (5-year OS 41.7% vs 63.8%), the difference was not significant (P = .1). In HDT patients, no significant difference was observed for OS or PFS between those with or without t(11;14). Conclusion This study shows that t(11;14) is associated with poorer outcome in MM, particularly in non-high-dose-treated SR patients. It should be considered an intermediate or high-risk marker in these patients.

Treatment with Daratumumab (Dara), a monoclonal anti-CD38 antibody of IgG1 subtype, is effective in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, Dara also impairs the cellular immunity, which in turn may lead to higher susceptibility to infections. The exact link between immune impairment and infectious complications is unclear. In this study, we report that nine out of 23 patients (39%) with progressive MM had infectious complications after Dara treatment. Five of these patients had viral infections, two developed with bacterial infections and two with both bacterial and viral infections. Two of the viral infections were exogenous, i.e. acute respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), while five consisted of reactivations, i.e. one herpes simplex (HSV), 1 varicella-zoster (VZV) and three cytomegalovirus (CMV). Infections were solely seen in patients with partial response or worse. Assessment of circulating lymphocytes indicated a selective depletion of NK cells and viral reactivation after Dara treatment, however this finding does not exclude the multiple components of viral immune-surveillance that may get disabled during this monoclonal treatment in this patient cohort. These results suggest that the use of antiviral and antibacterial prophylaxis and screening of the patients should be considered.

Background Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AlloSCT) for treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) is controversial mainly due to high non-relapse mortality (NRM) with myeloablative conditioning. However, AlloSCT is probably the only treatment that result in cure of a small fraction of patients. Treosulfan is a prodrug of a bifunctional alkylating agent which has both myelotoxic and immunosuppressive properties. Conditioning regimes with treosulfan have been tried in various hematologic neoplasia such as AML and MDS indicating low NRM and increased progression free survival (PFS). Previous studies on use of treosulfan condition in AlloSCT for MM indicated feasibility, stable engraftment and low NRM. In the present study we have analysed the results of low and high dose treosulfan respectively on OS, RFS, relapse incidence and NRM as well as results of Treosulfan conditioning compared to non-Treosulfan reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) and non-Treosulfan myeloablative conditioning (MAC). Patients and Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of 4544 patients with MM undergoing AlloSCT 2008-2016 reported to the EBMT data registry. Out of 537 patients receiving Treosulfan based conditioning the impact of dose could be analysed in 441. Three hundred and twenty-seven patients received a total dose of >36g/m2 and 114 Results The 5-year OS in upfront Treosulfan conditioned patients was 62%, which was significantly superior to both non-Treo RIC and MAC patients respectively, apparently due to a tendency for lower NRM (10%) albeit a higher relapse rate (Table 2). Patients in later lines of conditioning had either low NRM (3rd line) or no significant difference (2nd line) (Table 2). Heterogeneity in the material makes it difficult to interpret results in the patients transplanted late in the course of the disease. A higher total treosulfan dose, >36g/m2, showed a tendency for improved OS and RFS compared to the lower dose treosulfan as well as RIC and MAC (table 2) respectively. In multivariate analysis of upfront transplanted patients, with a model adjusted for ISS score at diagnosis, age, Karnofsky score, response at AlloSCT, interval between diagnosis and transplant, donor type and donor - patient sex match, treosulfan and RIC retained significance for OS, HR 0.57 (P=0.006) and RFS, HR 0.65 (P= In multivariate analysis of treosulfan based conditioning regimes, upfront line of conditioning was superior for OS, PFS and relapse as expected (Table 3). Notably was an increased hazard ratio for donor-patient sex match other than female to male in OS, PFS as well as relapse, HR 1.64 (P=0.02), HR 1.66 (P=0.004) and HR 1.83 (P=0.003) respectively (Table 3). Conclusions Conditioning upfront with Treosulfan containing regimens for AlloSCT in multiple myeloma, is associated with a superior overall survival and a low NRM, however with a slightly higher relapse rate compared to other regimens. A higher dose > 36g/m2 tends to further improve OS, RFS and relapse rate without increasing NRM. The better results of Treo conditioning in female to male transplants as compared to other sex combinations and in contrast to MAC transplants may be due to the overall lower NRM with treosulfan, thus utilizing the GVM more effectively as indicated by the trend for lower relapse rate. In conclusion, Treosulfan containing regimens appear to be of value in upfront AlloSCT. Prospective studies on Treosulfan conditioning are warranted to further define the best dosing in MM AlloSCT. Disclosures Niederwieser: Miltenyi: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Research Funding. Beelen:Medac: Consultancy, Other: Travel Support. Stelljes:Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; MSD: Consultancy; JAZZ: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Finke:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel grants, Research Funding; Medac: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel grants, Research Funding; Neovii: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel grants, Research Funding; Riemser: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Garderet:Amgen: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy. Kroeger:Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Riemser: Honoraria, Research Funding; JAZZ: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria; Neovii: Honoraria, Research Funding.