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BACKGROUND: Elotuzumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone has shown improved progression-free and overall survival versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. We aimed to assess these regimens in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). METHODS: ELOQUENT-1 is an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial conducted at 185 hospitals, oncology practices, and research centres in 19 countries. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older with newly diagnosed, untreated, symptomatic myeloma and not candidates for high-dose therapy plus HSCT, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 2 or lower. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive elotuzumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone or lenalidomide and dexamethasone using an interactive voice response system, stratified by the International Staging System (ISS; stage I-II vs III), age (

ispartof: LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA vol:63 issue:7 pages:1718-1722 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) approved for myelofibrosis provide spleen and symptom improvements but do not address anemia, a negative prognostic factor. Momelotinib, an inhibitor of ACVR1/ALK2, JAK1 and JAK2, demonstrated activity against anemia, symptoms, and splenomegaly in the phase 3 SIMPLIFY trials. Here, we report mature overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) from both studies, and retrospective analyses of baseline characteristics and efficacy endpoints for OS associations. Survival distributions were similar between JAKi-naïve patients randomized to momelotinib, or ruxolitinib then momelotinib, in SIMPLIFY-1 (OS HR = 1.02 [0.73, 1.43]; LFS HR = 1.08 [0.78, 1.50]). Two-year OS and LFS were 81.6% and 80.7% with momelotinib and 80.6% and 79.3% with ruxolitinib then momelotinib. In ruxolitinib-exposed patients in SIMPLIFY-2, two-year OS and LFS were 65.8% and 64.2% with momelotinib and 61.2% and 59.7% with best available therapy then momelotinib (OS HR = 0.98 [0.59, 1.62]; LFS HR = 0.97 [0.59, 1.60]). Baseline transfusion independence (TI) was associated with improved survival in both studies (SIMPLIFY-1 HR = 0.474, p = 0.0001; SIMPLIFY-2 HR = 0.226, p = 0.0005). Week 24 TI response in JAKi-naïve, momelotinib-randomized patients was associated with improved OS in univariate (HR = 0.323; p p

PURPOSE The PRIMA study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00140582 ) established that 2 years of rituximab maintenance after first-line immunochemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with follicular lymphoma compared with observation. Here, we report the final PFS and overall survival (OS) results from the PRIMA study after 9 years of follow-up and provide a final overview of safety. METHODS Patients (> 18 years of age) with previously untreated high–tumor-burden follicular lymphoma were nonrandomly assigned to receive one of three immunochemotherapy induction regimens. Responding patients were randomly assigned (stratified by induction regimen, response to induction treatment, treatment center, and geographic region) 1:1 to receive 2 years of rituximab maintenance (375 mg/m2, once every 8 weeks), starting 8 weeks after the last induction treatment, or observation (no additional treatment). All patients in the extended follow-up provided their written informed consent (data cutoff: December 31, 2016). RESULTS In total, 1,018 patients completed induction treatment and were randomly assigned to rituximab maintenance (n = 505) or observation (n = 513). Consent for the extended follow-up was provided by 607 patients (59.6%) of 1,018 (rituximab maintenance, n = 309; observation, n = 298). After data cutoff, median PFS was 10.5 years in the rituximab maintenance arm compared with 4.1 years in the observation arm (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.73; P < .001). No OS difference was seen in patients randomly assigned to rituximab maintenance or observation (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.77 to 1.40; P = .7948); 10-year OS estimates were approximately 80% in both study arms. No new safety signals were observed. CONCLUSION Rituximab maintenance after induction immunochemotherapy provides a significant long-term PFS, but not OS, benefit over observation.

This FIRST trial final analysis examined survival outcomes in patients with transplant-ineligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) treated with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone until disease progression (Rd continuous), Rd for 72 weeks (18 cycles; Rd18), or melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide (MPT; 72 weeks). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS; primary comparison: Rd continuous vs MPT). Overall survival (OS) was a key secondary endpoint (final analysis prespecified ≥60 months' follow-up). Patients were randomized to Rd continuous (n = 535), Rd18 (n = 541), or MPT (n = 547). At a median follow-up of 67 months, PFS was significantly longer with Rd continuous vs MPT (hazard ratio [HR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.79; P < .00001) and was similarly extended vs Rd18. Median OS was 10 months longer with Rd continuous vs MPT (59.1 vs 49.1 months; HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.92; P = .0023), and similar with Rd18 (62.3 months). In patients achieving complete or very good partial responses, Rd continuous had an ≈30-month longer median time to next treatment vs Rd18 (69.5 vs 39.9 months). Over half of all patients who received second-line treatment were given a bortezomib-based therapy. Second-line outcomes were improved in patients receiving bortezomib after Rd continuous and Rd18 vs after MPT. No new safety concerns, including risk for secondary malignancies, were observed. Treatment with Rd continuous significantly improved survival outcomes vs MPT, supporting Rd continuous as a standard of care for patients with transplant-ineligible NDMM. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00689936 and EudraCT as 2007-004823-39.

Background Momelotinib (MMB) is a potent JAK1, JAK2, and ACVR1/ALK2 inhibitor with clinical activity against the hallmark features of myelofibrosis (MF), namely anemia, constitutional symptoms, and splenomegaly, as demonstrated in the Phase 3 SIMPLIFY-1 and -2 clinical trials (S1, S2). S1 enrolled JAKi-naive patients (n = 432) double-blind randomized 1:1 to MMB or ruxolitinib (RUX). S2 enrolled patients with hematological toxicity during prior RUX therapy (n = 156) randomized 2:1 to open-label MMB or best available therapy (BAT; RUX in 88% of patients). In both trials, following 24 weeks of randomized treatment, patients could continue MMB, and those randomized to RUX/BAT could cross-over to MMB for extended treatment. Previously published data from the SIMPLIFY studies demonstrate robust overall survival (OS) for MMB-treated patients in S1 and S2 (median not reached and 34.3 months, respectively) with a maximum follow-up of approximately 5 years and median of 2.9 years in S1 and 2.3 years in S2. Objectives and Methods OS data for patients receiving MMB in S1 and S2 were analyzed for subgroups defined by week 24 (W24) transfusion-independent (TI) responders vs non-responders and also other efficacy endpoints. Survival was estimated using KM analysis with descriptive log-rank tests for comparison applied (all p-values are descriptive). Results As previously reported, W24 TI rates were higher in the MMB arms of S1 (67% vs 49%) and S2 (43% vs 21%). In S1, W24 TI responders in the MMB group show an OS advantage compared to MMB TI non-responders, with median OS not reached and 3-year survival of 80% (HR = 0.30; p Conclusions These new analyses suggest JAKi-naive patients receiving MMB who maintain or achieve TI at W24 have favorable OS compared to MMB TI non-responders, with a similar trend observed in previously RUX-exposed patients. The findings that TI may predict improved OS in MF suggest that the goal of achieving or maintaining TI could become an important driver of treatment decisions.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) enhances protein translation by deactivating the translation inhibitor 4E-BP1 and phosphorylating p70S6K, which stimulates the initiation of ...

Background. R-CHOP is the standard first-line treatment for elderly patients (pts) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However 30% of pts will relapse and 70% of relapsed pts will die within 2 years of diagnosis. The REMARC study (NCT01122472) is an international, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, phase III trial that assessed the benefit of lenalidomide (LEN) maintenance in response after R-CHOP in pts aged 60 to 80 years with untreated DLBCL, FL3b or transformed lymphoma. The pts were randomized 1:1 to receive 2 years of LEN maintenance (25 mg/day for 21 of every 28 days) or placebo (PBO). The primary endpoint of the study was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints were safety, PR to CR conversion rate, and overall survival (OS). We present the final analysis with a median follow-up of 81 months. Methods. From May 2009 to May 2014, 794 pts were enrolled. After R-CHOP therapy, 650 pts were randomized to maintenance with LEN (n=323) or PBO (n=327), either in CR (n= 495) or in PR (n= 152). Median age at diagnosis was 68 y (range 58-80), 43.5% were older than 70 y, and 56% were male. aaIPI was low in 38.5% and high in 57.5% of pts (missing data 4%). COO analyses were performed by both Hans algorithm (n=393) and NanoString technology (n=403). MYC, BCL2, BCL6 rearrangements were assessed by FISH in 169, 161 and 143 pts respectively. Expression of MYC BCL2 and BCL6 by immunohistochemistry in 198 pts, 247 pts and 385 pts Results. The median PFS (according to independent centralized radiology review) was not reached in the LEN group versus 89 months in the PBO group (HR = 0.73 - 95% CL : 0.6-0.9; p=0.01)(See Figure). In the LEN group, 24 pts (35%) converted from PR to CR during maintenance compared to 22 pts (27%) in the PBO group (p=0.29) with a median time of 6.4 months and 5.6 months, respectively. Overall survival data did not show any benefit for LEN arm (HR =1.17, 95% CL: 0.9-1.6; p=0.29), a lack of difference not attributable to an excess of lymphoma relapse, secondary cancer or safety problems in LEN arm. Deaths generally occurred off study drug (median time from last dose of study drug to death was 18 months (range: 1-99) in LEN arm and 25.7 months (range:1-103) in control arm. During maintenance, the most common observed grade 3 or 4 AEs were neutropenia (57% vs. 22%), rash (5% vs. 1%), infections (8% vs. 6%), and thrombocytopenia (2.5% vs. 0.6%) in LEN and PBO arms, respectively. Dose adjustments were necessary in 72% of the LEN pts and 42% of PBO pts. 59% of pts stopped LEN and 39% stopped PBO for toxicity during maintenance. Median number of cycles was 15 in LEN and 26 in PBO arms. Secondary primary malignancies occurred in 56 pts receiving LEN and in 70 pts on PBO. Considering the cohort of pts with ABC profile (n=144), PFS and OS was similar in the LEN group (n=78) compared to the PBO group (n=66), p=0.15 and p=0.59, respectively. Among biological characteristics, GC profile was the only favorable parameter for PFS (HR=0.55, p=0.003) and OS (HR=0.47, 70, IPI 3-5, ABC profile, PR after R-CHOP as independent factors for an inferior PFS, and the same variables except treatment arm for OS. Conclusion. The final analysis of the REMARC study shows that 2 years of LEN maintenance in pts responding to R-CHOP significantly improved PFS (primary endpoint) regardless of COO, without a significant impact on OS Figure. Progression free survival - Follow-up : 81.1 months Figure 1 Disclosures Thieblemont: Roche, Amgen, Kyte Gilead, Celgene, Abbvie, Novartis, Cellectis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel support; Cellectis: Speakers Bureau; Roche, Hospita: Research Funding. Gomes da Silva:Janssen: Consultancy; MSD: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; abbvie: Consultancy; roche: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy. Casasnovas:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; AMGEN: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Ghesquieres:Janssen: Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES; Roche: Consultancy, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES; CELGENE: Consultancy, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES. Trotman:F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Research Funding; BeiGene: Research Funding; PCYC: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding. Feugier:janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; astrazeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Haioun:Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Servier: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Miltenyi: Honoraria. Greil:Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; Astra zeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; BMS/celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; MSD Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo, Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accomodations, expenses, Research Funding. Caballero:Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: travel; Kite: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Other: travel; BMS: Other: travel; Roche: Other: travel; Gilead: Other: travel; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: travel. Lopez-Guillermo:roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; novartis: Consultancy; celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding. Snauwaert:abbvie: Other; janssen: Other: travel; roche: Other: travel. Lech-Marańda:Roche, Amgen, Gilead: Speakers Bureau; Roche, Novartis, Takeda, Janssen-Cilag, Amgen, Gilead, AbbVie, Sanofi: Consultancy. Heibl:BMS/celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; AOP orphan: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria. Catalano:celgene: Other: travel. Cairoli:celgene: Other: travel; roche: Other: travel. Gaulard:innate pharma: Research Funding; takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding. Morschhauser:F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria; Epizyme: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Servier: Consultancy; Genentech, Inc.: Consultancy; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Tilly:BMS: Honoraria.

Background: Systemic inflammation integral to the pathogenesis of myelofibrosis (MF) leads to increased ACVR1 activity and hepcidin production, resulting in perturbed iron homeostasis and iron-restricted anemia. Chronic, progressive anemia is a key hallmark feature of MF. Anemia and transfusion dependency (TD) are strongly predictive of reduced survival. Momelotinib (MMB) is a potent, orally bioavailable, small-molecule inhibitor of JAK1, JAK2, and ACVR1. MMB's inhibition of ACVR1, unique amongst the JAK inhibitor (JAKi) class, leads to reduction of hepcidin, restoring iron homeostasis and RBC production and alleviating anemia and transfusion dependency in patients with MF. Objective: To explore the relative burden of transfusions for MMB vs RUX. Methods: SIMPLIFY-1 (S1) was a double-blind, randomized, Phase 3 study of MMB vs RUX in intermediate-/high-risk JAKi-naive patients with MF (n=215 MMB, 217 RUX). Retrospective analyses of data from the randomized treatment phase (RT; 24 weeks) were performed using a variety of novel dynamic anemia benefit endpoints including time until transfusion and overall intensity of transfusions across time. Results: Kaplan-Meier estimates of the proportion of patients who required zero units transfused during the RT period were 73% and 46% for MMB and RUX respectively (p Conclusions: Since transfusion burden is of significant concern to clinicians and patients, these novel analyses of the anemia benefits of MMB are important additions to standard analytic methods. Combined with additional data from the SIMPLIFY studies, they demonstrate that MMB is able to address the three hallmark features of MF, namely anemia, constitutional symptoms and splenomegaly, differentiating it from other JAKi. Momelotinib is the only clinical stage JAKi to possess potent ACVR1 inhibitory activity, resulting in improvement of anemia.

Lenalidomide maintenance therapy prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) versus placebo in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) responding to induction chemotherapy in the phase 3 REMARC study. This subpopulation analysis assessed the impact of lenalidomide maintenance and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Global health status (GHS), and physical functioning and fatigue subscales were evaluated in patients who completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality-of-life questionnaire-C30 v3.0. The impact of TEAEs classified post hoc as subjective (patients can feel) or observable (only measurable by physicians) on dose reductions and discontinuations was assessed. Among 457 patients (lenalidomide, n = 229; placebo, n = 228), mean (standard deviation) GHS was similar between treatment arms [68·2 (20·7) Versus 72·0 (17·8)] at randomisation and remained similar during maintenance. Patients receiving lenalidomide experienced no meaningful changes in GHS, physical functioning, or fatigue. Observable TEAEs were more common (81·1% Versus 66·3%) and more likely to lead to dose reductions, than subjective TEAEs in both arms. PFS was superior in the lenalidomide arm regardless of dose reduction. Lenalidomide maintenance prolonged PFS and did not negatively impact HRQOL in patients with DLBCL despite TEAEs being more common, when compared with placebo., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

7046 Background: Momelotinib (MMB) is a potent JAK1, JAK2 and ACVR1 inhibitor with clinical activity against the hallmark features of myelofibrosis (MF), namely anemia, constitutional symptoms and splenomegaly, across the continuum of JAKi naïve or previously JAKi treated intermediate/high risk MF patients as demonstrated in the previously conducted Phase 3 SIMPLIFY-1 & -2 clinical trials (S1, S2). S1 enrolled JAKi-naïve patients with MF (n = 432) double-blind randomized 1:1 to MMB or ruxolitinib (RUX). S2 enrolled patients with MF with hematological toxicity during prior RUX therapy (n = 156) randomized 2:1 to open-label MMB or best available therapy (BAT; consisting of RUX in 88% of patients). In both trials, following the 24-week randomized treatment (RT) period, patients could continue MMB (MMB→MMB) and those randomized to RUX/BAT could cross-over to MMB (RUX/BAT→MMB) for extended treatment (ET). Previously published data from the SIMPLIFY studies demonstrate robust overall survival (OS) for MMB-treated patients in S1 and S2 (median not reached and 34.3 months, respectively) with a maximum follow up of approximately 5 years and median of 2.9 years in S1 and 2.3 years in S2. Methods: OS data for patients receiving MMB in S1 and S2 are reported here for subgroups defined by Week 24 (W24) transfusion independence (TI) responders vs non-responders, and also other efficacy endpoints. Survival was estimated using KM analysis with descriptive log-rank tests for comparison applied (all p-values are descriptive). Results: As previously reported, W24 TI rates were higher in the MMB arms of S1 (67% vs 49%) and S2 (43% vs 21%). In S1, W24 TI responders in the MMB group show an OS advantage, with median OS not reached and 3-year survival of 80% (HR = 0.30; p = 0.0001) compared to MMB TI non-responders. Similarly in S2, W24 TI responders in the MMB group show a trend toward better OS compared to TI non-responders (HR = 0.57; p = 0.0652). The HRs in S1 for MMB responders vs non-responders for W24 SRR and TSS were 0.59 (p = 0.0904) and 0.65 (p = 0.1657), respectively. Alternative analyses using OS defined from W24 demonstrated consistent results. Conclusions: These new analyses suggest JAKi naïve patients receiving MMB who maintain or achieve TI at W24 have favorable OS compared to MMB TI non-responders, with a similar trend observed in S2. These findings are consistent with anemia and transfusion dependency being key predictors of shortened OS in MF and suggest that TI response at W24 may become a surrogate for clinical benefit, supporting the clinical relevance of MMB’s differentiated pro-erythropoietic ACVR1 inhibition. Clinical trial information: NCT01969838.

// Peter Tan 1 , Ing Soo Tiong 1, 2 , Shaun Fleming 1 , Giovanna Pomilio 2 , Nik Cummings 3 , Mark Droogleever 4 , Julie McManus 3 , Anthony Schwarer 5 , John Catalano 6 , Sushrut Patil 1 , Sharon Avery 1 , Andrew Spencer 1, 2 and Andrew Wei 1, 2 1 Malignant Haematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 2 Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia 3 Department of Pathology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 5 Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, Australia 6 Clinical Haematology, Frankston Hospital, Frankston, Australia Correspondence to: Andrew Wei, email: andrew.wei@monash.edu Keywords: acute myeloid leukemia, everolimus, azacitidine, mTOR, clinical trial Received: October 21, 2016 Accepted: November 20, 2016 Published: November 29, 2016 ABSTRACT Therapeutic options are limited in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We evaluated the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and preliminary efficacy of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, everolimus (days 5–21) in combination with azacitidine 75 mg/m 2 subcutaneously (days 1–5 and 8–9 every 28 days) in 40 patients with relapsed ( n = 27), primary refractory ( n = 11) or elderly patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy ( n = 2). MTD was not reached following everolimus dose escalation (2.5, 5 or 10 mg; n = 19) to the 10 mg dose level which was expanded ( n = 21). Major adverse events (grade > 2) were mostly disease-related: neutropenia (73%), thrombocytopenia (67%), mucositis (24%) and febrile neutropenia (19%). Overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort was 8.5 months, and overall response rate (ORR; including CR/CRi/PR/MLFS) was 22.5%. Furthermore, a landmark analysis beyond cycle 1 revealed superior OS and ORR in patients receiving 2.5 mg everolimus with azoles, compared to those without azoles (median OS 12.8 vs. 6.0 months, P = 0.049, and ORR 50% vs. 16%, P = 0.056), potentially due to achievement of higher everolimus blood levels. This study demonstrates that everolimus in combination with azacitidine is tolerable, with promising clinical activity in advanced AML.

Despite the common practice of combining dexamethasone (Dex) with bortezomib (Bz) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), until now there has been few prospective trials undertaken. We undertook a trial that recapitulated the original APEX study except that dexamethasone was incorporated from cycle 1. We also incorporated an exploratory maintenance component to the study. Twenty sites enrolled 100 relapsed/or refractory MM patients utilizing eight 21 day cycles of IV Bz [1.3 mg/m(2) ; Day (D) 1, 4, 8, 11] and three 35 day cycles; Bz (1.3 mg/m(2) ; Day (D) 1, 8, 15, 22). Our study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00335348). Patients with stable disease or better received maintenance Bz (1.3 mg/m(2) ) every 14 days until progression. Dexamethasone (20 mg) was given for 2 days with each Bz dose. A prospectively defined matched-analysis of primary (overall response rate; ORR) and secondary endpoints [Complete Response (CR) and time to progression (TTP)] compared our cohort to those on the Bz arm of the APEX trial. The addition of Dex improved ORR by 20% (56% vs. 36%) [odds ratio 0.44 (0.24-0.80)]. The median TTP was also significantly longer (10.1 vs. 5.1 months) (hazard ratio 0.50, 95% CI: 0.35-0.72, P = 0.0002) and our landmark analysis demonstrated that this was largely due to the early use of dexamethasone, as we were unable to demonstrate any benefit of bortezomib/dexamethasone maintenance therapy.

In the phase III COMFORT-I study, the Janus kinase 1 (JAK1)/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib provided significant improvements in splenomegaly, key symptoms, and quality-of-life measures and was associated with an overall survival benefit relative to placebo in patients with intermediate-2 or high-risk myelofibrosis. This planned analysis assessed the long-term efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib at a median follow-up of 149 weeks. At data cutoff, approximately 50% of patients originally randomized to ruxolitinib remained on treatment whereas all patients originally assigned to placebo had discontinued or crossed over to ruxolitinib. At week 144, mean spleen volume reduction was 34% with ruxolitinib. Previously observed improvements in quality-of-life measures were sustained with longer-term ruxolitinib therapy. Overall survival continued to favor ruxolitinib despite the majority of placebo patients crossing over to ruxolitinib [hazard ratio 0.69 (95% confidence interval: 0.46–1.03); P=0.067]. Exploratory analyses suggest that crossover may have contributed to an underestimation of the true survival difference between the treatment groups. Ruxolitinib continued to be generally well tolerated; there was no pattern of worsening grade ≥3 anemia or thrombocytopenia with longer-term ruxolitinib exposure. These longer-term data continue to support the efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis. The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00952289.

The efficacy of a fixed-dose rituximab schedule was prospectively explored in primary/acute refractory, relapsed or chronic (platelet count >10 × 10(9) /l and ≤50 × 10(9) /l) idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Patients received two doses of rituximab (1000 mg) on days 1 and 15 and were followed-up on weeks 1-8, 12, 26, 39 and 52. A total of 122 patients were included in the safety population; efficacy was analysed in 108 patients. Overall response rate (ORR) at week 8, defined as the proportion of patients achieving complete response (CR; platelet count >150 × 10(9) /l) or partial response (PR; platelet count >50 × 10(9) /l) was 44%. Therapeutic response, defined as achieving a response at week 8, with at least a minor response (MR; platelet count >30 × 10(9) /l), sustained up to weeks 26 and 52 and accompanied by a reduction in ITP medications, was achieved in 44% (week 26) and 35% (week 52) of patients, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated with no safety concerns. While this study failed to meet its primary endpoint of an ORR of 50%, the efficacy of two fixed doses of rituximab appear to provide similar efficacy to the standard 375 mg/m(2) four-dose schedule in relapsed/chronic ITP.

Vascular endothelial growth factor is involved in lymphoma growth, suggesting a potential role for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies in hematologic malignancies. In this phase III study, patients with CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were randomized to rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone plus either placebo (R-CHOP) or bevacizumab (RA-CHOP). Treatment was administered every 21 (8 cycles) or 14 days (6 cycles plus 2 rituximab cycles) as per institutional practice. An early analysis of risk/benefit by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board showed that RA-CHOP increased cardiotoxicity without prolonging progression-free survival compared with R-CHOP, and the trial was stopped early. The study protocol was amended to allow for 12 additional months of follow up to evaluate safety. With 787 patients enrolled, median follow up was 23.7 and 23.6 months for R-CHOP and RA-CHOP, respectively. Median progression-free survival for R-CHOP and RA CHOP was 42.9 and 40.2 months, respectively (hazard ratio=1.09; P=0.49). The proportion of deaths was identical for R-CHOP (83 of 387, 21%) and RA-CHOP (82 of 390, 21%). Relative to R-CHOP, RA-CHOP had a higher rate of left ventricular ejection fraction perturbation (18% vs. 8%; odds ratio=2.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60–3.93) and congestive heart failure (16% vs. 7%; odds ratio=2.79; 95%CI: 1.72–4.54). Bevacizumab added to R-CHOP increased cardiac events, without increasing efficacy, arguing against further evaluation of RA-CHOP in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The MAIN study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifier:00486759.

Momelotinib (MMB) is a potent, selective, orally-bioavailable, small-molecule inhibitor of JAK1, JAK2 and ACVR1 being developed for the treatment of intermediate and high risk myelofibrosis (MF). Systemic inflammation integral to the pathogenesis of MF leads to increased ACVR1 activity which in turn increases secretion of hepcidin, resulting in perturbed iron homeostasis and an iron-restricted anemia (Physiol Rev. 2013;93:1721-41, Am J Hematol. 2014;89:470-9). MMB's inhibition of ACVR1, unique amongst the JAK inhibitor (JAKi) class, leads to a reduction of hepcidin, restoring iron homeostasis and RBC production and alleviating anemia and transfusion dependency (TD). Chronic, progressive anemia is the key hallmark feature of MF; anemia and TD are strongly predictive of reduced survival (Am J Hematol. 2013;88:312-6). MMB is the only clinical stage JAKi to possess potent ACVR1 inhibitory activity, resulting in improvement of anemia in contrast to ruxolitinib (RUX) which results in worsening. The SIMPLIFY-1 (S1) trial, a double-blind, active-controlled Phase 3 study in which 432 patients received randomized treatment with MMB or RUX for 24 weeks was previously reported (JCO. 2017;35:3844-50). In addition to a significant reduction in splenomegaly and improvement in constitutional symptoms, the study demonstrated that patients in the MMB arm achieved nominal-statistical significance for all anemia endpoints tested, including a higher rate of transfusion independence (p Since transfusion burden is of significant concern to clinicians and patients, to better understand the dynamics of RBC transfusions we further examined the S1 data through statistical models utilizing a variety of novel anemia benefit endpoints including time until transfusion and overall intensity of transfusions across time. The proportions of patients with 0 and 4 transfusions were calculated and time-to-event analyses examining time-to-first and time-to-fifth units transfused also conducted. Since transfusions typically comprise 2 units, the fifth unit transfused represents a de facto third transfusion event. The number of units transfused were also considered to be recurrent events and examined with and without patients' baseline characteristics as covariates. Finally, a mixture model, based on a zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) distribution fit to the transfusion data, was employed to compare between the treatment groups the proportions of subjects with zero transfusion burden and the mean transfusion rates. Kaplan-Meier estimates of the proportion of patients who did not require any units transfused during the 24 week randomized treatment period were 73% and 46% for MMB and RUX respectively (p Taken together, the novel dynamic and time-to-event analysis methods described are relevant and informative additions to standard measures of transfusion burden in patients with MF. The results of these analyses allow more detailed description of MMB's differentiated anemia benefit as compared to RUX in a double-blind study of JAKi-naïve patients. These results when combined with additional data from the SIMPLIFY studies demonstrate that MMB is able to address the three hallmark features of MF, namely anemia, constitutional symptoms and splenomegaly, differentiating it from other JAK inhibitors. The benefit of MMB in reducing transfusion burden will be further evaluated in MOMENTUM, a future Phase 3 study of MMB in MF patients. In addition to assessment of constitutional symptoms, anemia and splenomegaly, MOMENTUM will provide opportunity to further evaluate associations between anemia benefit and patient reported measures of clinical benefit. Disclosures Mesa: Promedior: Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Research Funding; Galena Biopharma: Consultancy; AbbVie: Research Funding; Incyte: Other: travel, accommodations, expenses, Research Funding; Genotech: Research Funding; CTI: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel, accommodations, expenses; Celgene Corporation: Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy; PharmaEssentia: Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy; NS Pharma: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Other: travel, accommodations, expenses; LaJolla: Consultancy; Samus: Research Funding; Shire: Honoraria; Baxalta: Consultancy. Catalano:Celgene: Other: Travel support (ASH 2018). Cervantes:Novartis: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Gotlib:Incyte: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Allakos: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Blueprint Medicines: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Deceiphera: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Kiladjian:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; AOP Orphan: Honoraria, Research Funding. McLornan:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Honoraria. Coart:IDDI: Consultancy, Employment. D'Hollander:IDDI: Consultancy, Employment. Donahue:Sierra Oncology Inc.: Employment. Kowalski:Sierra Oncology Inc.: Employment.

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients, disruptions of the TP53 tumor suppressor pathway by 17p13 deletion (del17p), somatic TP53 mutations, or downregulation of microRNA-34a have been associated with a poor prognosis. So far, the impact of the various TP53 defects has not been evaluated in a large cohort of previously treated and relapsed CLL patients. Here, we present the results of TP53 gene sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization for del17p in a phase 3 clinical trial (REACH [Rituximab in the Study of Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia]). Of the 457 patients, 52 had TP53 mutations and 37 had del17p. In 24 (46%) of the TP53 mutated patients, no del17p was found and in 9 of the del17p patients, no TP53 mutation was identified. Based on a predicted proportion of TP53 disruption, a complete disruption of TP53 function, either by a combination of point mutations and/or del17p, was associated with a high risk for disease progression. Progression-free survival of patients with a heterozygous TP53 mutation was not significantly different from patients with a completely intact TP53 locus. In addition, only a complete loss of TP53 function correlated with low microRNA-34a expression levels. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00090051.

Purpose To assess the effects of ruxolitinib on symptom burden and quality of life (QoL) and to evaluate the ability of the modified Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form (MFSAF) v2.0 to measure meaningful changes in myelofibrosis-related symptoms in patients with myelofibrosis. Patients and Methods COMFORT-I (Controlled Myelofibrosis Study With Oral JAK Inhibitor Treatment–I) is a double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study evaluating ruxolitinib in patients with intermediate-2 or high-risk myelofibrosis. Exploratory analyses were conducted on the following patient-reported outcomes (PROs) assessments: modified MFSAF v2.0 (individual symptoms and Total Symptom Score [TSS]), European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Fatigue Scale, and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Results Patients receiving ruxolitinib experienced improvements in individual myelofibrosis-related symptoms, although patients receiving placebo experienced worsening (P < .001). The majority (91%) of ruxolitinib-treated patients designated as ≥ 50% TSS responders (≥ 50% TSS improvement) self-reported their condition as either “Much improved” or “Very much improved” on the PGIC. These patients achieved significant improvements in the EORTC QLQ-C30 functional domains and Global Health Status/QoL versus patients receiving placebo, who experienced worsening on these measures (P ≤ .0135). Ruxolitinib-treated patients with a lesser degree of symptom improvement (< 50% TSS responders) also achieved improvements over placebo on these measures. The degree of spleen volume reduction with ruxolitinib correlated with improvements in TSS, PGIC, PROMIS Fatigue Scale, and EORTC Global Health Status/QoL. Ruxolitinib-treated patients who achieved a ≥ 35% reduction in spleen volume experienced the greatest improvements in these PROs. Conclusion Ruxolitinib-treated patients achieved clinically meaningful improvements in myelofibrosis-related symptoms and QoL, but patients receiving placebo reported worsening of symptoms and other PROs.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a rare and life-threatening myeloproliferative neoplasm that can arise de novo [primary MF (PMF)] or evolve from polycythaemia vera (PV), i.e. post-polycythaemia vera MF (PPV-MF), or essential thrombocythaemia (ET), i.e. post-ET MF (PET-MF) (Barosi et al, 2008; Vardiman et al, 2009; Tefferi, 2011). Dysregulated Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) signalling, resulting from gain- or loss-of-function mutations and/or high circulating levels of inflammatory cytokines, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of MF (Vainchenker et al, 2011). The JAK2 V617F mutation is present in approximately 50–60% of patients with PMF or ET and in over 95% of patients with PV (Nguyen & Gotlib, 2012). Dysregulation of the JAK-STAT signalling pathway in MF is additionally related to mutations in genes such as JAK2 exon 12, MPL exon 10, SH2B3, members of the Casitas B-cell lymphoma family and post-translational modifications of suppressor of cytokine signalling proteins (Vainchenker et al, 2011). Proinflammatory cytokines that have been implicated in MF are known to signal through JAK1 and JAK2 (Vainchenker et al, 2008) and symptoms of MF have been linked to elevated levels of these cytokines (Verstovsek, 2009; Tefferi et al, 2011). An association between elevated cytokines and decreased survival has also been reported (Tefferi et al, 2011). A broad spectrum of disease characteristics exists within the MF patient population (Cervantes et al, 1997, 2009). Patients often experience constitutional symptoms (e.g. fever, night sweats, weight loss) and splenomegaly, which may cause disability and have a profound impact on quality of life (Mesa et al, 2007); however, other MF-related symptoms, such as fatigue (84%), itching (50%) and bone pain (47%), are also common and burdensome to patients (Mesa et al, 2007). Patients with MF have shortened survival, and those with advanced MF have a poor prognosis (Barbui et al, 2011). The major prognostic scoring systems used to categorize risk in patients with MF are the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) (Cervantes et al, 2009), the Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS) (Passamonti et al, 2010) and DIPSS Plus (Gangat et al, 2011). Risk factors for shorter survival in both the IPSS and DIPSS are age >65 years, presence of constitutional symptoms, haemoglobin 25 × 109/l and peripheral blood blasts ≥1% (Cervantes et al, 2009; Passamonti et al, 2010). The DIPSS Plus adds platelet count

Certain patients with antibody-mediated autoimmune disease exhibit poor responses to conventional immunosuppression, including B-cell depletion with rituximab. Proteasome inhibitors such as bortezomib demonstrate pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects, including direct toxicity to antibody-producing cells. Here, we report preliminary evidence for the efficacy of bortezomib as salvage therapy for refractory autoimmune hematological disease. Thirteen treatment episodes in 10 patients with autoimmune hematological phenomena (autoimmune hemolytic anemia [AIHA; n = 8], acquired hemophilia (n = 1), immune thrombocytopenia (n = 1), and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura [TTP; n = 3]) and a median of 5 (range, 3-12) prior lines of therapy demonstrated an overall response rate of 77% (10 of 13) including 38% (5 of 13) complete remissions. The majority of clinical improvements were rapid, correlated with biomarkers of autoantibody reduction, and were associated with an acceptable safety profile. Responses appeared durable following treatment of TTP and acquired hemophilia; AIHA responses were more limited with a pattern of relapse following bortezomib cessation. These data provide proof of concept for the utility of proteasome inhibition as antibody depletion therapy in autoimmune disease.

In patients with follicular lymphoma treated with single-agent rituximab, single nucleotide polymorphisms in the FCGR3A gene are known to influence response and progression-free survival. The prognostic role of FCGR3A and FCGR2A polymorphisms in patients with follicular lymphoma treated with rituximab and chemotherapy combination remains controversial and has not been evaluated in the context of rituximab maintenance. FCGR3A and FCGR2A single nucleotide polymorphisms were evaluated in, respectively, 460 and 455 patients treated in the PRIMA study to investigate whether these were associated with response rate and patient outcome after rituximab chemotherapy induction and 2-year rituximab maintenance. In this representative patient cohort, complete and unconfirmed complete responses after rituximab chemotherapy were observed in 65%, 67%, 66% (P = .86) and 60%, 72%, 66% (P = .21) of FCGR3A VV, VF, FF and FCGR2A HH, HR, RR carriers, respectively. After 2 years of rituximab maintenance (or observation), response rates did not differ among the different genotypes. Progression-free survival measured from either treatment initiation or randomization to observation or maintenance was not influenced by these polymorphisms. These data indicate that FCGR3A and FCGR2A polymorphisms do not influence response rate and outcome when rituximab is combined with chemotherapy or used as maintenance treatment. The PRIMA study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00140582.

Background Initial therapy for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia most often involves the combination of all- trans -retinoic acid with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. The role of non-anthracycline drugs in induction and consolidation is less well-established and varies widely between different cooperative group protocols. Design and Methods In an attempt to minimize relapse and maximize survival for patients with newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia, the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group utilized all- trans -retinoic acid and idarubicin as anti-leukemic therapy for both induction and consolidation. The protocol (known as APML3) was subsequently amended to incorporate maintenance with all- trans -retinoic acid, methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine. Results Eight (8%) of 101 patients died within 30 days, and 91 (90%) achieved complete remission. With a median estimated potential follow-up of 4.6 years, 4-year overall survival was 84%, and 71% of the patients remained in remission at 4 years. The cumulative incidence of all relapses was 28.1%, with 15 of the 25 relapses initially identified as an isolated molecular relapse. Both FLT3 mutations (internal tandem duplications and codon 835/836 kinase domain mutations) and increased white cell count at diagnosis were associated with inferior overall survival, but in multivariate analyses only FLT3 mutations remained significant (hazard ratio 6.647, P =0.005). Maintenance therapy was significantly associated with improved remission duration (hazard ratio 0.281, P

Purpose Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody that targets the CD20 cell surface antigen, has clinical activity in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other B-lymphocyte disorders when administered alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Promising results have previously been reported in nonrandomized studies in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This trial was designed to compare chemoimmunotherapy with chemotherapy alone in patients with previously treated CLL. Patients and Methods This international, multicenter, randomized trial compared six cycles of rituximab plus fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (R-FC) with six cycles of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide alone (FC) in patients with previously treated CLL. A total of 552 patients with Binet stage A (1%), B (59%), or C (31%) disease entered the study and were randomly assigned to receive R-FC (n = 276) or FC (n = 276). Results After a median follow-up time of 25 months, rituximab significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with previously treated CLL (hazard ratio = 0.65; P < .001; median, 30.6 months for R-FC v 20.6 months for FC). Event-free survival, response rate, complete response rate, duration of response, and time to new CLL treatment or death were also significantly improved. Although the rates of adverse events, grade 3 or 4 events, and serious adverse events were slightly higher in the R-FC arm, R-FC was generally well tolerated, with no new safety findings and no detrimental effect on quality of life. Conclusion R-FC significantly improved the outcome of patients with previously treated CLL.

Maintenance therapy has generally been shown to improve outcomes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM).1–8 Increases in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) have been demonstrated in some trials of maintenance therapy,4–6 but others have reported improved PFS with no corresponding improvement in OS.1–3 The lack of OS benefit may be due to crossover and insufficient follow-up, as well as the fact that these trials were not powered to detect differences in OS between treatment groups. Theoretically, an experimental treatment may negatively affect OS (despite improving PFS) by increasing long-term toxicity or altering the tumor population or microenvironment to induce drug resistance or evolution of an aggressive clone.9–11 To account for these possibilities, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recently recommended using “progression-free survival 2” (PFS2) as a clinical end-point to evaluate the efficacy of maintenance therapy in hematology/oncology trials.10 To rule out possible negative effects of treatment on the efficacy of next-line therapy, PFS2 in the experimental arm should be sufficiently superior to that in the control arm.10 In this article, we explore the concept of PFS2 and apply it to a trial in NDMM patients to determine whether lenalidomide maintenance therapy influenced the efficacy of subsequent treatment.

The gram-negative, purple nonsulfur, facultative photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus is a widely used model organism and has well-developed molecular genetics. In particular, interposon mutagenesis using selectable gene cartridges is frequently employed for construction of a variety of chromosomal knockout mutants. However, as the gene cartridges are often derived from antibiotic resistance-conferring genes, their numbers are limited, which restricts the construction of multiple knockout mutants. In this report, sacB —5-fluoroorotic acid (5FOA)— pyrE -based bidirectional selection that facilitates construction of unmarked chromosomal knockout mutations is described. The R. capsulatus pyrE gene encoding orotate phosphoribosyl transferase, a key enzyme of the de novo pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis pathway, was used as an interposon in a genetic background that is auxotrophic for uracil (Ura − ) and hence resistant to 5FOA (5FOA r ). Although Ura + selection readily yielded chromosomal allele replacements via homologous recombination, selection for 5FOA r to replace pyrE with unmarked alleles was inefficient. To improve the latter step, 5FOA r selection was combined with sucrose tolerance selection using a suicide plasmid carrying the Bacillus subtilis sacB gene encoding levansucrase that induces lethality upon exposure to 5% (wt/vol) sucrose in the growth medium. Sucrose-tolerant, 5FOA r colonies that were obtained carried chromosomal unmarked mutant alleles of the target gene via double crossovers between the resident pyrE- marked and incoming unmarked alleles. The effectiveness of this double selection was proven by seeking insertion and deletion alleles of helC involved in R. capsulatus cytochrome c biogenesis, which illustrated the usefulness of this system as a genetic means for facile construction of R. capsulatus unmarked chromosomal mutants.

7000 Background: MMB, an oral JAKi, has been shown in early trials to reduce spleen volume, improve disease associated symptoms (Sx) and improve RBC transfusion (Tx) requirements in patients (pts) with MF. This study was designed to test non-inferiority of MMB vs RUX in splenic volume reduction and Sx amelioration, and superiority in Tx requirement, in JAKi naïve MF pts. Methods: Eligibility: MF, IPSS high risk, Int-2, or symptomatic Int-1; palpable spleen ≥5cm; platelets ≥ 50 K/μl, and no Gr ≥2 peripheral neuropathy (PN). Stratification by Tx dependency and platelets (200 K/μl). Pts were randomized 1:1 to 24 wks of MMB 200 mg qd + RUX placebo or RUX 20 mg bid (or modified per label) + MMB placebo, after which all pts could receive open label MMB. Assessments: spleen volume by MRI, and pt reported Sx using a daily eDiary of modified MPN-SAF Total Sx Score (TSS). Primary endpoint was splenic response rate (SRR; ≥35% reduction in volume from baseline) at 24 wks. Secondary endpoints, evaluated sequentially at 24 wks, were rates of TSS response (≥50% reduction from baseline), RBC Tx independence (TI), RBC Tx dependence (TD) and of RBC Tx . Results: 175 of 215 (81%) and 201 of 217 (93%) pts randomized to MMB and RUX, respectively, completed the 24 wk DB phase. Efficacy results are shown in Table. Most common Gr ≥3 AEs in the DB phase with MMB were thrombocytopenia (7%) and anemia (6%), and with RUX were anemia (23%), thrombocytopenia (5%) and neutropenia (5%). Gr ≥3 infections occurred in 7% of MMB and 3% of RUX pts. Treatment emergent PN occurred in 22 (10%) of MMB (all Gr ≤2) and 10 (5%) of RUX (9 Gr ≤2, 1 Gr 3) pts in DB phase, none discontinuing study drug for PN. Overall, AEs led to study drug D/C in 13% of MMB and 6% of RUX pts in DB phase. Conclusions: In pts with JAKi naive MF, 24 weeks of MMB is non-inferior to RUX for spleen response but not for symptom response. MMB treatment is associated with a reduced transfusion requirement. NCT01969838. [Table: see text]

Despite the common practice of combining dexamethasone (Dex) with bortezomib (Bz) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), until now there has been few prospective trials undertaken. We undertook a trial that recapitulated the original APEX study except that dexamethasone was incorporated from cycle 1. We also incorporated an exploratory maintenance component to the study. Twenty sites enrolled 100 relapsed/or refractory MM patients utilizing eight 21 day cycles of IV Bz [1.3 mg/m(2) ; Day (D) 1, 4, 8, 11] and three 35 day cycles; Bz (1.3 mg/m(2) ; Day (D) 1, 8, 15, 22). Our study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00335348). Patients with stable disease or better received maintenance Bz (1.3 mg/m(2) ) every 14 days until progression. Dexamethasone (20 mg) was given for 2 days with each Bz dose. A prospectively defined matched-analysis of primary (overall response rate; ORR) and secondary endpoints [Complete Response (CR) and time to progression (TTP)] compared our cohort to those on the Bz arm of the APEX trial. The addition of Dex improved ORR by 20% (56% vs. 36%) [odds ratio 0.44 (0.24-0.80)]. The median TTP was also significantly longer (10.1 vs. 5.1 months) (hazard ratio 0.50, 95% CI: 0.35-0.72, P = 0.0002) and our landmark analysis demonstrated that this was largely due to the early use of dexamethasone, as we were unable to demonstrate any benefit of bortezomib/dexamethasone maintenance therapy.

Addition of rituximab (R) to fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) has significantly improved patient outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Whether baseline gene expression can identify patients who will benefit from immunochemotherapy over chemotherapy alone has not been determined. We assessed genome-wide expression of 300 pretreatment specimens from a subset of 552 patients in REACH, a study of FC or R-FC in relapsed CLL. An independent test set was derived from 282 pretreatment specimens from CLL8, a study of FC or R-FC in treatment-naive patients. Genes specific for benefit from R-FC were determined by assessing treatment-gene interactions in Cox proportional hazards models. REACH patients with higher pretreatment protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2) messenger RNA levels derived greater benefit from R-FC, with significant improvements in progression-free survival, independent of known prognostic factors in a multivariate model. Examination of PTK2 gene expression in CLL8 patients yielded similar results. Furthermore, PTK2 inhibition blunted R-dependent cell death in vitro. This retrospective analysis from 2 independent trials revealed that increased PTK2 expression is associated with improved outcomes for CLL patients treated with R-FC vs FC. PTK2 expression may be a useful biomarker for patient selection in future trials. These trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00090051 (REACH) and #NCT00281918 (CLL8).

Introduction: Opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) occur commonly in immunocompromised hosts such as patients (pts) with cancer (especially hematological malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia [CLL] and indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma [iNHL]) or those receiving immunosuppressive therapies (such as steroids, chemotherapy). Recently, an increased risk of PJP infection was identified in 3 ongoing phase 3 studies evaluating idelalisib, administered in combination with the standard regimens rituximab (R) or bendamustine and rituximab (BR), in front-line CLL and early-line iNHL. Subsequently, a comprehensive analysis evaluating PJP infection across the clinical development program was performed to identify possible risk factors for developing PJP infection, including age, concomitant therapy (co-therapy) administered, geographic distribution of PJP infection, and regional use of prophylaxis. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 2198 pts receiving study treatment with idelalisib alone or in combination with co-therapy (anti-CD20 antibody or BR) and pts receiving only co-therapy (anti-CD20 ± bendamustine) (n = 1391 and 807, respectively) across 8 studies (frontline/relapsed CLL and relapsed iNHL) between 2010 and 2016 was performed. PJP infection was defined based on MedDRA high-level term of pneumocystis infections. In this analysis, other parameters were included for evaluation of risk of developing PJP infection-prophylaxis for PJP, geographic region, age, and CD4 count. Results: The overall incidence of PJP infection was 2.5% in pts on idelalisib ± co-therapy vs 0.2% in pts receiving only anti-CD20 antibody alone or BR alone (relative risk = 12.5). The median time to PJP event was 141 days since initiation of IDELA or co-therapy. The incidence of PJP infection was similar, irrespective of pt age. In the pt population receiving IDELA ± co-therapy - prophylaxis for PJP reduced the incidence of infection to 1.3% (from 3.4% in pts not receiving prophylaxis). Additionally, analysis by type of co-therapy received - the incidence of PJP infection was 2.2% vs 3.1% with IDELA + BR and IDELA + anti-CD20 alone respectively. A correlation between CD4 count ( Conclusion: There is a small but increased risk of PJP infection during treatment with idelalisib within the clinical trial program. These data suggest that prophylaxis for PJP may reduce the risk of infection by as much as 60%. Administration of PJP prophylaxis is now recommended in all pts receiving treatment with idelalisib. Disclosures Sehn: roche/genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria; amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; seattle genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria; abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; TG therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; lundbeck: Consultancy, Honoraria; janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Hallek:Mundipharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; F. Hoffmann-LaRoche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Jurczak:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding; Celltrion, Inc: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Bayer: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding. Brown:Infinity: Consultancy; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Sun BioPharma: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy. Barr:Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy. Catalano:Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead Sciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Coutre:Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Research Funding. Furman:Gilead Sciences: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria. Lamanna:Gilead Sciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Zelenetz:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Sharman:Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Honoraria, Research Funding. Adewoye:Gilead Sciences: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kim:Gilead Sciences: Employment, Equity Ownership. Flinn:Janssen: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Research Funding; ARIAD: Research Funding; RainTree Oncology Services: Equity Ownership. Salles:Gilead: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria.

Background: In the pivotal FIRST trial, at the pre-specified planned analysis for progression-free survival (PFS), treatment (Tx) with lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone until disease progression (Rd continuous) improved outcomes for transplant-ineligible patients (pts) with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) compared with melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide (MPT), as well as Rd for 18 cycles (Rd18; Benboubker, NEJM 2014). Rd18 was added as a third arm to investigate whether Rd continuous Tx would control progression of NDMM longer than Rd18. Here, we present the final analysis of the overall survival (OS) data from the trial. Methods: Transplant-ineligible pts with NDMM were randomized 1:1:1 to Rd continuous (with lenalidomide given on days 1-21 of 28-day cycles until disease progression), Rd18 (with lenalidomide given on days 1-21 of eighteen 28-day cycles), or MPT (twelve 42-day cycles); both Rd18 and MPT were 72 weeks in duration. The primary endpoint was PFS and the key secondary endpoint was OS; the primary comparison was Rd continuous vs MPT. Other secondary endpoints included time to second therapy (TTST) and safety. Time from randomization to second progression or death (PFS2) was an exploratory analysis. Response assessment used for PFS and PFS2 analysis was determined by investigators based on International Myeloma Working Group criteria. Results: At the time of cutoff for the final OS analysis (January 21, 2016), 52 of the 535 pts in the Rd continuous arm and none of the pts in the Rd18 (n = 541) and MPT (n = 547) arms continued to receive Tx. The median follow-up for surviving pts was 67.0 months (range, 0-86.8 months). In the pre-specified final OS analysis for the primary comparison, a statistically significant advantage in OS was shown with Rd continuous over MPT (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.92; P = .00234; Table). OS for Rd continuous vs Rd18 was evaluated (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.86-1.20). In this updated analysis, a PFS advantage continued to be seen for Rd continuous vs MPT (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.59-0.79; P < .00001) and vs Rd18 (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.60-0.81). Median TTST was longer for Rd continuous vs MPT (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.54-0.73; Table). More pts in the Rd18 and MPT arms started second-line therapy (n = 377 and 381, respectively) compared with the Rd continuous arm (n = 299). Pts received a variety of Tx at progression, with bortezomib-based regimens the most common in the Rd continuous (n = 179; 59.9%), Rd18 (n = 208; 55.2%), and MPT (n = 170; 44.6%) arms. Pts who received bortezomib after Rd continuous or Rd18 had better outcomes than those who received it after MPT. PFS2 for Rd continuous was improved vs MPT (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.64-0.85). Grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 86.3%, 80.2%, and 88.7% of the 532, 540, and 541 pts in the safety populations of the Rd continuous, Rd18, and MPT arms, respectively; the most common grade 3/4 AEs were neutropenia (29.5%, 26.5%, and 44.9%) and infections (31.6%, 21.9%, and 17.2%), and no new safety signals were seen compared with earlier analyses. Study discontinuation was most commonly due to disease progression and was less common in the Rd continuous vs Rd18 and MPT arms (50.7% vs 66.9% and 61.6%, respectively). Discontinuation due to AEs was similar across the Rd continuous, Rd18, and MPT arms (12.0%, 13.1%, and 13.9%). Solid tumor second primary malignancies (SPMs) occurred in 6.0, 6.9%, and 5.9% of pts, and hematologic malignancies occurred in 0.8%, 0.4%, and 2.6% of pts in the Rd continuous, Rd18, and MPT arms, respectively. Conclusions: Rd continuous significantly prolonged PFS and OS, and improved other secondary endpoints compared with MPT in transplant-ineligible pts with NDMM. Rd continuous also showed a PFS benefit compared with Rd18, delaying the time to next Tx. PFS2 outcomes suggest that Rd does not induce resistant relapses. Few hematologic malignancies occurred in the Rd arms, and the incidence of SPMs was similar between Rd continuous and Rd18. Rd continuous remains a standard of care for transplant-ineligible pts with NDMM. Disclosures Facon: Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: travel and expense, Speakers Bureau. Dimopoulos:Genesis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Dispenzieri:Celgene: Research Funding. Belch:Takeda: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria. Cavo:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Millennium: Consultancy, Honoraria. Weisel:BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Onyx: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Ludwig:Janssen: Speakers Bureau; BMS: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Bahlis:BMS: Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel Expenses, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel Expenses, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Onyx: Consultancy, Honoraria. Delforge:Janssen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Cavenagh:Amgen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Geraldes:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Oriol:Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. De La Rubia:Amgen, Bristol, Celgene, Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. White:Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Moreau:Celgene: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria. Attal:janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; sanofi: Consultancy. Ervin-Haynes:Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Chen:Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Houck:Celgene: Employment. Hulin:celgene: Honoraria; Bristol: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; takeda: Honoraria. Benboubker:Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for children and young adults. When all causes of trauma are considered, falls are the most common mechanism of injury. To address specifically age-related fracture patterns in children who fall, we identified 125 consecutive patients, 21 years old or younger, who fell from a height of 10 feet or greater. The medical records and radiographs for 110 of these patients were available for review. Patients were divided into three groups based on age: there were 25 infant/toddlers (0-2 yearly 55 children (3-10 years), and 30 adolescent/young adults (11-21 years). We found statistically significant differences in fracture distribution between the groups. The adolescent/young adult group sustained a greater number of vertebral fractures (p < 0.003) and total fractures per fall (p < 0.015), The children, in contrast, had a greater number of long bone fractures (p < 0.05). Knowledge of age-related fracture patterns could result in improved diagnosis and treatment of these injuries.

Objective To assess the efficacy, safety and cost savings of home treatment of lower-limb deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Setting A hospital-in-the-home treatment program. Patients One hundred patients with acute lower limb DVT (53 proximal, 47 distal), and no contraindication to home treatment, were entered into the program from March 1995 to February 1997. Intervention All patients received dalteparin, 200 units/kg subcutaneously, once daily for a minimum of five days, with commencement of oral anticoagulation (warfarin) on Day 2. Patients with proximal DVT had lung ventilation-perfusion scans performed and were admitted to hospital for at least 24 hours. Patients with distal DVT were discharged directly to home treatment. Main outcome measures Clinical responses and the results of sequential duplex ultrasonography at one week, one month, three months and six months. Results There were no major, but six minor, bleeding complications, two of which led to dalteparin being withdrawn. Sixteen patients had lung ventilation-perfusion scans showing a high probability of pulmonary embolism. All were asymptomatic, and follow-up for at least three months showed no symptomatic thromboembolic events. Duplex ultrasonography showed progression of thrombosis in the first week of therapy in 13.2% of distal and 2.7% of proximal thromboses. Thereafter, distal DVT improved at a much greater rate than proximal DVT; after six months complete resolution was seen in 60.7% of distal and 18.5% of proximal thromboses, respectively. Cost saving was $197 per bed-day equivalent compared with inpatient care. At 15 months' follow-up, swelling and/or pain was reported by 49% of patients with distal DVT and 66% of those with proximal DVT. Conclusions Once-daily dalteparin therapy for DVT in a hospital-in-the-home setting was safe, efficacious and cost effective. However, DVT resolution is a slow process, with significant long term morbidity.

7012Background: The JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor RUX has demonstrated rapid and durable improvements in splenomegaly and symptoms and improved survival in the phase 3 COMFORT studies in pts with MF. Here we...

A B S T R AC T background Ruxolitinib, a selective inhibitor of Janus kinase (JAK) 1 and 2, has clinically significant activity in myelofibrosis. methodS In this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned patients with intermediate-2 or highrisk myelofibrosis to twice-daily oral ruxolitinib (155 patients) or placebo (154 patients). The primary end point was the proportion of patients with a reduction in spleen volume of 35% or more at 24 weeks, assessed by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Secondary end points included the durability of response, changes in symptom burden (assessed by the total symptom score), and overall survival. resulTS The primary end point was reached in 41.9% of patients in the ruxolitinib group as compared with 0.7% in the placebo group (P

Introduction Certain patients with antibody-mediated autoimmune disease exhibit poor responses to conventional immunosuppression. Proteasome inhibitors (PI) have been prospectively evaluated in humoral graft rejection, where rapid alloantibody depletion occurs in the context of combined immunosuppression. In addition to killing antibody-producing cells, PIs deplete autoreactive T-cells, suppress inflammatory NFkB signaling and modulate MHC class I antigen presentation. The durability of rituximab-based B-cell depletion may be abrogated by promotion of long-lived autoreactive (CD20 neg) plasma cell development. Therefore there is a strong rational for utilising PIs in antibody mediated autoimmune disease. Based on our initial experience re-purposing bortezomib (BTZ) to deplete ADAMTS-13 antibodies in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) (Shortt et al NEJM 2013; 69: 90-2.), we have utilized off-label BTZ in cases of severe refractory antibody-mediated hematological disease via a compassionate access program. We report the first case-series of BTZ use in this broader patient group. Patients & Methods Outcome data were collected for all patients treated between 2012 and 2015 with off-label BTZ salvage for autoantibody-mediated hematological disease across a combined health-care network in the Australian state of Victoria (catchment area >1.5 million patients; 3 major academic centers). Eligible patients were refractory to standard of care and at risk of severe morbidity/mortality from underlying disease or immunosuppression. All patients demonstrated on-going autoantibody production despite rituximab-based B-cell depletion. We sought to correlate biological responses (e.g. reductions in autoantibody titer) with clinical efficacy (e.g. remission rates and capacity to wean concurrent immunosuppression) and to document BTZ toxicities. Compassionate BTZ access was subject to institutional drug and therapeutic committee review and Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration notification. Routine antiviral prophylaxis was administered. Results: Treatment episodes (n=8) included TTP (n=3), warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) (n=3), cold AIHA (n=1) and an acquired FVIII inhibitor (n=1) in 7 patients (median age 53 years, range 34-80; M/F 4:3). Patients had received a median of 3.5 prior lines of therapy (range: 2-6) and all were rituximab exposed. BTZ was predominantly administered at 1.3mg/m2; D1, 4, 8, 11 q21d, with subsequent dose modification to weekly where repeated cycles were required. Initial IV therapy was preferred in TTP patients, to maximize exposure between exchanges; where recurrent cycles were administered all patients transitioned to subcutaneous administration to avoid neurotoxicity. With a median follow-up of 10 months (censored June 2015; range: 4-35 months), the overall response rate was 75%, including 50% durable complete remissions and 25% partial remission with reductions in transfusion requirements and baseline immunosuppression. Biological responses correlated with reductions in autoantibody titer. Most patients demonstrated an immediate response within 1 cycle (median cycles delivered 1.5; range: 1-6). BTZ was generally well tolerated with grade 4 hepatotoxicity observed in one patient in the context of high alcohol intake. No infective complications or neuropathy were observed. Table 1.CaseAgeM/FDiseasePrior Lines of TreatmentCyclesResponseDuration of response170MAIHA (warm)31NR02a53FTTP41CR7m2b54FTTP21CR25m364FAIHA (cold)56PR5m449FTTP21CR32m534MHemophilia A34CR4m647MAIHA (warm)52PR2m780MAIHA (warm)62NR0NR - no response; CR - complete response; PR - partial response (reduction in immunosuppression or disease activity) Conclusions: BTZ rapidly downregulates autoantibodies, correlating with a high response rate in relapsed/refractory autoimmune hematological disease with an acceptable/expected toxicity profile. This case series, taken together with emerging case reports of efficacy provide 'proof of concept' for the utility of PI in antibody mediated autoimmune disease. A prospective clinical trial protocol is in development. Disclosures Off Label Use: The drug to be discussed is bortezomib and its use in managing refractory autoimmune haematological disorders (off label use). Catalano:Celgene, Roche, Gilead: Honoraria. Opat:Janssen Pharmaceuticals: Other: Provision of subsidized medications only. Shortt:Janssen Pharmaceuticals: Other: Provision of subsidized medications only.

Introduction: Cytogenetic abnormalities in patients (pts) with multiple myeloma (MM) are of prognostic importance and can be associated with poor outcomes (Bergsagel, Blood, 2011). The FIRST trial is a pivotal phase 3 study with the largest data set in transplant-ineligible pts with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM). This subanalysis evaluates the impact of cytogenetics on outcomes in transplant-ineligible pts with NDMM continuously treated with lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone until disease progression (Rd continuous). Methods: Transplant-ineligible pts with NDMM were randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms: Rd continuous, Rd18 (Rd for 18 cycles [72 weeks]), or melphalan-prednisone-thalidomide (MPT; for 12 cycles [72 weeks]). Cytogenetics were assessed using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Pts were categorized into cytogenetic risk groups according to International Myeloma Working Group criteria. High-risk cytogenetics included del(17p), t(4;14), and t(14;16); all other pts were categorized as non-high risk. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS; primary comparators were Rd continuous vs MPT), and key secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), and safety. Results: A total of 762 of 1623 pts from the intent-to-treat population had validated cytogenetic profiles, with 142 pts in the high-risk group and 620 pts in the non-high-risk group. Baseline characteristics were well balanced across cytogenetic risk groups (Table 1). The median follow-up for OS was 40.2 months for the 762 pts in this analysis (data cutoff, March 03, 2014). In the non-high-risk group, median duration of treatment was 19.4 months with Rd continuous and 16.6 months with both Rd18 and MPT. In the high-risk group, median duration of treatment was 10.0 months with Rd continuous, 8.2 months with Rd18, and 12.0 months with MPT. Rd continuous treatment resulted in a 24% reduced risk of death or progression compared with MPT and an even greater 32% reduced risk in pts without high-risk cytogenetics (Table 2). In non-high-risk pts, median PFS was 31.1 months with Rd continuous compared with 21.2 and 24.9 months with Rd18 and MPT, respectively (Figure). However, in high-risk pts, the observed numerical median PFS favoring Rd18 is mainly due to small pt numbers influenced by long runners (n = 5), and the greatly overlapping 95% CIs from all 3 arms show the difference is likely to be minimal. Rd continuous treatment resulted in a 28% reduced risk of death vs MPT overall and a 34% reduced risk in pts without high-risk cytogenetics. OS was similar across treatment arms for high-risk pts. ORRs in all cytogenetic risk groups favored Rd continuous vs MPT. In pts with high-risk cytogenetics, higher-quality responses were also observed with Rd continuous vs MPT treatment. Similar results were seen with Rd continuous compared with Rd18, although OS and ORR benefits overall and in pts without high-risk cytogenetics were not as pronounced. In all 3 treatment arms, adverse events were consistent across cytogenetic risk groups. Conclusions: Rd continuous treatment resulted in PFS and OS benefits vs MPT in pts with validated cytogenetic profiles. This was largely due to PFS and OS improvements in pts without high-risk cytogenetics. In the high-risk group, the longest PFS was observed with Rd18 treatment and OS was similar across treatment arms. Despite being on the continuous vs fixed duration treatment arm, high-risk pts on Rd continuous received a shorter duration of treatment than those on MPT, which may explain why PFS favored MPT vs Rd continuous. Higher response rates were observed with Rd continuous vs MPT, regardless of cytogenetic risk, and greater quality responses were observed in pts with high-risk cytogenetics. The safety profile of Rd continuous was manageable and consistent between cytogenetic risk groups. Results support Rd continuous as a standard treatment option for pts with NDMM who are ineligible for transplant, especially those without high-risk cytogenetics. Additional PFS and OS benefits may be achieved in pts with high-risk cytogenetics when Rd continuous is used as a backbone for combination therapy with a novel agent. Promising activity in pts with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities has been demonstrated using this approach (Lonial et al, N Engl J Med, 2015; Stewart et al, N Engl J Med, 2015). Disclosures Hulin: Celgene Corporation: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria. Dimopoulos:Celgene: Honoraria; Onyx: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Genesis: Honoraria. Reece:Lundbeck: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Merck: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Onyx: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Millennium Takeda: Research Funding; Otsuka: Research Funding. Catalano:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria. Pinto:Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Honoraria; Spectrum: Honoraria. Ludwig:Takeda: Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Onyx: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen Cilag: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Bahlis:Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Research Funding. Cavo:Janssen-Cilag, Celgene, Amgen, BMS: Honoraria. Moreau:Takeda: Other: Adboard; Janssen: Other: Adboard; Novartis: Other: Adboard; Amgen: Other: Adboard; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Adboard. Qiu:Johnson & Johnson: Speakers Bureau; Celgene Corporation: Speakers Bureau; Roche: Speakers Bureau. Schots:Celgene Corporation: Research Funding. Marek:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Chen:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yiu:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Ervin-Haynes:Celgene Corporation: Employment. Facon:Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Millenium: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Onyx: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: 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.

Adult immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a heterogeneous disease and its immunobiology is incompletely understood. Establishing associations between candidate genes and ITP susceptibility may provide insight into pathogenesis. Previous studies have associated overrepresentation of FCGR3a-V158 allele with pediatric ITP. We prospectively accrued DNA from 102 adult patients with persistent/chronic or relapsed primary ITP identified by defined criteria. The distribution of KIR2 genes and polymorphisms of FCGR3a, both associated with autoimmunity, were compared with 105 healthy white individuals. Results were stratified by ethnicity. Carriers of the KIR2DS2/KIR2DL2 genotype [KIR2DS2(+)/KIR2DL2(+) versus KIR2DS2(-)/KIR2DL2(+/-) and KIR2DS2(+/-)/KIR2DL2(-); odds ratio (OR) 2.51, P=0.002] were overrepresented. In addition, frequency of the high-binding affinity FCGR3a-V/V158 genotype (VV versus VF/FF; OR=3.05, P=0.007) was increased, whereas that of the FCGR3a-F158 allele was reduced (OR=2.58, P=0.00 002). In a regression model to adjust for age, sex and the effects of the other gene, the KIR2 genotype independently conferred increased susceptibility from the FCGR3a-158 polymorphisms. In a comparison of healthy controls and a tightly defined cohort of adult ITP patients, the KIR2DS2/KIR2DL2 genotype was found to be associated with ITP independently of FCGR3a-158 polymorphisms. Further studies are required to establish the mechanistic basis for these observations and their potential impact on immune-based therapies. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 23:45-50 (C) 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

In this prospective, multicenter, non-randomized study for patients with stage I-II Hodgkin lymphoma, group 1 (without risk-factors [RF]) had three cycles of ABVD chemotherapy (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) and group 2 (any of bulk, extranodal site, 3 regions, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) and group 3 (B-symptoms) received four cycles. Involved field radiotherapy (IFRT) 30 Gy was given after adequate chemotherapy response. Five-year overall survival and freedom from progression (FFP) were 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] 91-98%) and 90% (84-94%), respectively. Five-year FFP was 97% (90-99%), 89% (75-95%), and 73% (52-86%) for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In patients with RF, chemotherapy responses of complete response unconfirmed (CRu), partial response (PR), and stable disease (SD) were associated with FFP of 90%, 86%, and 62% (p=0.17), and CR/no CR on functional imaging with FFP of 90%/67%, respectively (p=0.05). The 97% FFP in group 1 compares favorably with previously reported results from cooperative trial groups. Intensification of therapy warrants study in patients with RF and a poor chemotherapy response.

BACKGROUND: Patients with follicular lymphoma can have long survival times, but disease progression typically occurs 3-5 years after initial treatment. We assessed the potential benefit of 2 years of rituximab maintenance after first-line treatment in patients with follicular lymphoma receiving a rituximab plus chemotherapy regimen. METHODS: The randomised, open-label PRIMA study was undertaken in 223 centres in 25 countries. 1217 patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma needing systemic therapy received one of three non-randomised immunochemotherapy induction regimens used in routine practice. 1019 patients achieving a complete or partial response were then randomly assigned to receive 2 years of rituximab maintenance therapy (375 mg/m(2) every 8 weeks) or observation. Treatment was assigned equally by centralised block randomisation, stratified by induction regimen, response, region, and centre. Neither the participants nor those giving the interventions, assessing outcomes, and analysing data were masked to group assignments. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00140582. FINDINGS: 505 patients were assigned to rituximab maintenance and 513 to observation (one patient died during randomisation). With a median follow-up of 36 months (IQR 30-42), PFS was 74·9% (95% CI 70·9-78·9) in the rituximab maintenance group (130 patients progressed) and 57·6% (53·2-62·0) in the observation group (218 progressed; hazard ratio [HR] 0·55, 95% CI 0·44-0·68, p

Polymorphisms of activating Fc-γ receptors (FCGRs) on natural killer cells and macrophages result in variable affinity for immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibodies and subsequently modulate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity. Whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms of FCGRs correlate with survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients treated with a monoclonal antibody containing regimen is unclear. We assessed the FCGR3A and FCGR2A genotype of patients enrolled in the REACH trial, where patients received fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) or rituximab plus FC (R-FC). FCGR3A and FCGR2A polymorphisms did not demonstrate prognostic significance in the FC arm (P = .42 and P = .64, respectively) or R-FC arm (P = .41 and P = .88, respectively) with respect to progression free survival. Patients with intermediate affinity genotypes (FV and HR) benefited significantly from addition of rituximab (hazard ratio = 0.55 [0.37-0.8 CI]; P = .0017 and hazard ratio = 0.63 [0.44-0.9 CI]; P = .011, respectively). Similar benefit was suggested for patients with high- affinity VV and HH (hazard ratio = 0.86 [0.4-1.84 CI]; P = .7 and hazard ratio = 0.7 [0.41-1.18 CI]; P = .18, respectively) and low-affinity FF and RR (hazard ratio = 0.85 [0.56-1.29 CI]; P = .44 and hazard ratio = 0.82 [0.47-1.42 CI]; P = .48, respectively). Overall, our results suggest that FCGR2A and FCGR3A polymorphisms do not significantly influence the outcomes of relapsed or refractory CLL patients treated with FC or the monoclonal antibody regimen R-FC.

BACKGROUND. Administration of salvage chemotherapy to patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma is associated with significant toxicity. Vinorelbine and gemcitabine are novel chemotherapeutic agents with minimal overlapping toxicity. We present a phase 2 study of vinorelbine and gemcitabine with or without ifosfamide administered in an ambulatory care setting for relapsed or refractory lymphoma. METHODS. Ninety patients were enrolled. Group 1 comprised patients with ‘‘good’’ risk disease, Group 2 comprised patients with ‘‘high’’ risk disease, and Group 3 comprised patients relapsing after prior stem cell transplant. Patients in Group 1 and Group 3 received vinorelbine and gemcitabine with filgrastim support (VGF); those in Group 2 received the above regimen with ifosfamide (FGIV). We incorporated a standardized interim evaluation with dose escalation for patients with suboptimal response after 2 cycles. RESULTS. Toxicities were acceptable. Febrile neutropenia was uncommon: 7% after VGF (7 of 107 cycles) and 19% for FGIV (26 of 148 cycles). Unplanned admissions occurred in 23 of 107 cycles (21%) after VGF and 50 of 148 (34%) after FGIV. Overall response for Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively was 76%, 39% and 50%, with median overall survival of 28, 9 and 30 months. CONCLUSIONS. Vinorelbine-based and gemcitabine-based chemotherapy is effective in the salvage setting against lymphoma and can be administered in an ambulatory setting. Cancer 2008;113:3192–8. � 2008 American Cancer Society.

e166 PO-148 Health Resource Utilization with Continuous Lenalidomide Treatment (TX) in Elderly Patients (PTS) with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) K. Weisel, D. Vogl, A. Corso, M. Delforge, K. Song, M.A. Dimopoulos, J. Cavenagh, C. Hulin, P. Rodon, B. Arnulf, R. Foa, A. Oriol, S. Guo, J. Catalano, C.J. Gibson, J. Van Oostendorp, A. Ervin-Haynes, T. Facon University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; Policlinico San Matteo Universita Di Pavia, Pavia, Italy; University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, United Kingdom; CHU NancyeBrabois, Nancy; Centre Hospitalier de Blois, Blois; Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris, France; Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy; Institut Catala d’Oncologia, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, Spain; EVIDERA, Lexington, Kentucky, United States; Frankston Hospital, Frankston, Australia; Celgene Corporation, Summit, New Jersey, United States; Service des Maladies du Sang, Hopital Claude Huriez, Lille, France

8524 Background: MPT is considered a standard treatment (Tx) option in many countries for SCT-ineligible pts with NDMM. The FIRST trial showed that continuous Rd improved progression-free survival ...

We report the first case of pentasomy of chromosome 8 as the sole cytogenetic abnormality in the bone marrow of a patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, together with a review of the literature describing polysomy of chromosome 8 in hematological malignancies.