ALBERT

Beschreibung: CAR T cells with anti-CD19 specificity have demonstrated considerable promise against highly refractory hematologic malignancies. Dramatic responses with complete remission rates as high as 90% have been reported in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory ALL treated with CTL019 (Maude et al., NEJM 2014). Marked in vivo CAR T cell proliferation (100 to 100,000x) leads to improved efficacy but can be associated with adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS). To better understand manifestations of CRS, we studied clinical, laboratory, and biomarker data of 39 children and 12 adults with relapsed/refractory ALL treated with anti-CD19 CAR T cells. T cells were lentivirally transduced with a CAR composed of anti-CD19 single chain variable fragment/4-1BB/CD3 (Porter, NEJM 2011). 43 cytokines, chemokines, and soluble receptors (collectively termed cytokines hereafter) were serially measured, using Luminex bead array. Other biomarkers were tested in a CLIA/CAP certified lab. 48 of 51 pts developed grade 1-5 CRS (CRS1-5) (see Table). Most pts developed mild (grade 1-2) to moderate (grade 3) CRS (34/51). 14 pts developed severe (grade 4-5) CRS (12 grade 4, 2 adults with grade 5). 21 pts were treated with the IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab, and most had rapid marked clinical improvement in CRS evidenced by quick resolution of fever and weaning of vasoactive medications. We found peak levels of 24 cytokines, including IFNg, IL6, IL8, sIL2Ra, sgp130, sIL6R, MCP1, MIP1a, and GM-CSF during the first month after CTL019 infusion were highly associated with CRS4-5 compared to CRS0-3, significant by the Holm-Bonferroni adjusted p-value. Analyzing cytokines from the first 3 days after infusion, sent before patients developed severe CRS, only 2 cytokines, sgp130 and IFNg, were strongly associated with later development of severe CRS (p10,000ng/ml), splenomegaly, and hypofibrinogenemia. Of the tested cytokines, 18 have been previously studied in children with HLH. We found a near identical pattern of cytokines differentially elevated in HLH also elevated in pts with CRS4-5 compared with CRS0-3. IL6, sIL6R, and sgp130 were markedly elevated in pts with CRS4-5; this IL6 cytokine pattern, along with the pronounced response to tocilizumab, establishes that IL6 trans-signaling is clinically relevant. These data represent the largest and most comprehensive profiling of the clinical and laboratory manifestations of CAR T cell related CRS and provide novel insights into CRS biology. They represent the first data that can accurately predict which pts treated with CAR T cells have a high probability of becoming critically ill. These data have direct therapeutic relevance and may guide future cytokine directed therapy. The first 4 authors contributed equally. Table 1. CRS grading Gr1 Supportive care only Gr2 IV therapies +/- hospitalization. Gr3 Hypotension requiring IV fluids or low-dose vasoactives or hypoxemia requiring oxygen, CPAP, or BIPAP. Gr4 Hypotension requiring high-dose vasoactives or hypoxemia requiring mechanical ventilation. Gr 5 Death Disclosures Teachey: Novartis: Research Funding. Off Label Use: tocilizumab. Lacey:Novartis: Research Funding. Shaw:Novartis: Research Funding. Melenhorst:Novartis: Research Funding. Frey:Novartis: Research Funding. Maude:Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Aplenc:Sigma Tau: Consultancy. Chen:Novartis: Research Funding. Gonzalez:Novartis: Research Funding. Pequignot:Novartis: Research Funding. Rheingold:Endo: Other: Husband's employer, has equity interest; Novartis: Consultancy. June:Novartis: Research Funding; University of Pennsylvania: Patents & Royalties: financial interests due to intellectual property and patents in the field of cell and gene therapy. Conflicts of interest are managed in accordance with University of Pennsylvania policy and oversight. Porter:Novartis: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Genentech: Other: Spouse Employment. Grupp:Novartis: Research Funding.

Beschreibung: Background Immunotherapy with anti-CD19 CART cells (CART19) induces complete remission (CR) in the minority of patients with CLL; however, these CRs tend to be durable (Porter Sci Tr Med 2015). Based on preclinical evidence of synergy, we combined anti-CD19 CAR T cells with ibrutinib to test the hypothesis that pre- and concurrent treatment enhances the CR rate. Methods This is a pilot trial of autologous anti-CD19 CAR T cells in adults with CLL/SLL who were not in CR despite at least 6 months of ibrutinib. T cells were lentivirally transduced to express a CAR comprising CD3z, 4-1BB, and humanized anti-CD19 scFv (CTL119). Pts underwent lymphodepleting chemotherapy up to 1 week before infusion, followed by planned infusion of 1-5x108 CTL119 cells dosed as 10%, 30% and 60% of the total planned dose over 3 days, with doses beyond dose#1 given only in the absence of fever or cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Results CTL119 manufacturing was successful for all pts. Twenty pts were enrolled and 19 were infused (one pt was not infused due to intercurrent large cell transformation and newly diagnosed adenocarcinoma). Of the 19, 15 were male, the median age was 62 (range 42-76); and 5 were on 1st line ibrutinib. Of the remaining 14, the median number of prior therapies was 2 (range 1-16), and 3 pts had received prior murine CART19 therapy (CTL019) without ibrutinib. Eleven pts had abnormalities of chromosome 17p or TP53. An additional 3 pts had abnormalities of chromosome 11q22 or ATM. All pts had marrow involvement (median 21% range 7-63%). For 9 pts who had enlarged nodes at baseline, the median cross-sectional area was 1471 mm2 (range 178-2220). All pts received at least 2 CTL119 doses; 14 patients received all 3 and 5 received 2 doses. The median number of CART cells given was 5.3x106/kg (range 2.0-7.5). Median peak CART cell number by qPCR was 90,990 copies/ug genomic DNA (range 965-210,556) and by flow cytometry was median 536 CART cell/ul blood (range, 0-3640). 18/19 (95%) pts experienced CRS, with a median Penn CRS Grade of 2. CRS was grade 1-2 and 3-4 in 15 and 3 pts, respectively. Two pts received tocilizumab. Of 5 pts with encephalopathy, 2 were CTCAE gr 1, 2 gr 2 and 1 gr 4. One pt died on D14 from a cardiac arrhythmia during severe neurotoxicity after resolution of CRS. There were 49 gr 3 and 22 gr 4 toxicities in total. As of 7/16/18, 18/19 pts are alive (95%) and 12 pts have been followed for at least 12 months. The median follow-up for the 18 surviving pts is 18.5 months (range 8-28). Per iwCLL criteria, at 3 months 14 pts were evaluable and their responses were CR (n=6), PR (n=4), SD (n=3), PD (n=1). Marrow responses at month 3 were available in 18 and showed a morphologic CR in 17 pts (94%); of these 15 also had no measurable residual disease (MRD) by 9-color flow cytometry. MRD was also assessed at 3 months by deep sequencing of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (limit of detection 1 B cell in 1x106 nucleated cells). 14/18 pts were MRD negative, and the remaining 4 had 3.36, 4.76, 1.79, and 0.48 log10 reduction of the leukemic clonotype relative to the baseline sample. LN biopsies from 2 pts 3 and 10 months after CTL119 confirmed absence of the CLL clonotypes in this compartment as well. At 12 months, 11 pts had evaluable marrows of which 10 (91%) were in morphologic CR and 1 showed morphologic relapse. Of the 10 in morphologic CR, three pts showed low MRD positivity (3.58, 2.34, 3.79 log10 reduction) and the rest remained MRD-ve. Of the 3 pts who had received murine CTL019 previously, 2 were in MRD+ve CR at 12 months and one was refractory to humanized CTL119. Six pts discontinued ibrutinib at a median 8 months (range 3-12) due to toxicity (n=2) or pt choice (n=4). Five pts remain MRD-ve at short followup. In total, 16/18 pts remain in morphologic and/or flow CR at last followup. Conclusion In patients not achieving CR despite at least 6 months of ibrutinib who were treated with humanized CART19, we found an iwCLL CR rate of 43% and a bone marrow remission rate of 94% including a 78% MRD negative response by deep sequencing. This compares favorably to prior CART19 cell studies in patients with progressive CLL (iwCLL CR rates of 21-29%). CRS was frequent but mild-moderate and did not commonly require anti-cytokine therapy. These results suggest that the combination of CTL119 with ibrutinib results in a high rate of sustained responses and high rates of MRD-ve marrow response in patients with CLL. This combination will be further tested in larger studies. Figure. Figure. Disclosures Gill: Carisma Therapeutics: Equity Ownership; Extellia: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Research Funding. Frey:Servier Consultancy: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy. Mato:Johnson & Johnson: Consultancy; Portola: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Medscape: Honoraria; Prime Oncology: Honoraria. Lacey:Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Patents & Royalties; Tmunity: Research Funding; Parker Foundation: Research Funding; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Research Funding. Melenhorst:Novartis: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Tmunity: Research Funding; Shanghai UNICAR Therapy, Inc: Consultancy; CASI Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Davis:Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc.: Patents & Royalties. Schuster:Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Physician's Education Source, LLC: Honoraria; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Nordic Nanovector: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Dava Oncology: Consultancy, Honoraria; Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding; OncLive: Honoraria. Siegel:Novartis: Research Funding. Isaacs:Novartis: Employment. June:Immune Design: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celldex: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Tmunity Therapeutics: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Tmunity Therapeutics: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; Immune Design: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Porter:Kite Pharma: Other: Advisory board; Genentech: Other: Spouse employment; Novartis: Other: Advisory board, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding.

Beschreibung: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells with CD19 specificity (CTL019) are a highly effective novel immune therapy for relapsed/refractory ALL. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is the most significant and in some cases a life-threatening toxicity. These patients are often neutropenic and immunosuppressed and at high risk for sepsis. In addition, there have been cases where concurrent infectious complications potentially fueled underlying CRS leading to hypotension and hypoxia refractory to anti-cytokine directed therapies (Frey et al. abstract 2296, ASH 2014). Discriminating between sepsis and CRS can be a significant clinical challenge in the critical time-window required to initiate effective therapy, especially given that the treatments for CRS, including anti-cytokine therapies and corticosteroids, may worsen severe infections. We recently published an extensive study of 43 cytokines and soluble cytokine receptors, and clinical biomarkers in a cohort of 63 CTL019-treated ALL patients. Peak levels of 24 cytokines in the first month after infusion were highly associated with severe CRS, and CRS predictive models were described (Teachey et al. Cancer Discovery, June 1, 2016 6; 664). The object of these current studies was to compare biomarker profiles in CRS and sepsis, and attempt to identify a profile that would discriminate between the two clinical syndromes, particularly at the time of ICU admission. We evaluated 50 cytokines, soluble receptors, and other serum biomarkers in 66 adult and pediatric patients treated with CTL019 and who developed CRS (ALL-CRS cohort), 15 patients not treated with CTL019 but who developed sepsis leading to ICU admission (sepsis cohort), and 10 normal healthy children (control cohort). Of the 66 patients treated with CTL019 and who developed CRS, 30 (45%) required ICU admission. The biomarkers tested included the ones described in our published work plus a panel of seven additional biomarkers (Angiopoietin 2, [ANG2] sCD163, Pentraxin 3 [PTX3], sCD14, PAI-1, P-selectin, ICAM-1) that have previously been reported in the literature to be associated with sepsis. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, the following biomarkers were significantly elevated in sepsis compared to normal subjects: ANG2, GCSF, IFNα, IL1RA, IL4, IL6, MIG, MIP1α, PTX3, TNFα, sCD163, sCD30, sIL-1RI, sIL-1RII, sIL-2Rα, sIL-4R, sRAGE, sTNFRI, sTNFRII, sVEGFR1, sVEGFR2, sVEGFR3, and VEGF, whereas IL13 and RANTES were significantly lower in sepsis. In subjects with ALL and CRS, within 72 hours of ICU admission following CTL019 therapy (N=29), 23 biomarkers were significantly different compared to sepsis after adjusting for multiple comparisons; 16 were elevated in CRS: GM-CSF, HGF, IFN-γ, IFN-α, IL-10, IL-15, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP1, MIG, MIP-1β, sIL-2Rα, sTNFRI, and sTNFRII; whereas 7 were elevated in sepsis subjects: CD163, IL-1β, sCD30, sIL-4R, sRAGE, sVEGFR-1, and sVEGFR-2. Figure 1 shows representative box-plots for sCD163 (elevated in sepsis) and IP-10 (elevated in CRS). Detailed biomarker profiling and an algorithm for discriminating between sepsis and CRS in patients treated with CTL019 will be presented. These comprehensive profiling data provide novel insights into CRS biology and importantly, will help us discriminate between CRS and sepsis in patients who become critically ill after receiving CAR T cell therapy. These data have direct translational therapeutic relevance. Disclosures Lacey: Novartis: Research Funding. Shaw:Novartis: Research Funding; Vitality Institute: Research Funding. Teachey:Novartis: Research Funding. Weiss:NIGMS K23GM110496: Research Funding; ThermoFisher Scientific: Honoraria; Up-To-Date: Patents & Royalties: Up-To-Date. Chen:Novartis: Research Funding. Frey:Novartis: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy. Porter:Genentech: Employment; Novartis: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Maude:Novartis: Consultancy. Grupp:Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy. Pequignot:Novartis: Research Funding. June:Novartis: Honoraria, Patents & Royalties: Immunology, Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Research Funding; Celldex: Consultancy, Equity Ownership; Pfizer: Honoraria; Immune Design: Consultancy, Equity Ownership; Tmunity: Equity Ownership, Other: Founder, stockholder ; University of Pennsylvania: Patents & Royalties. Melenhorst:Novartis: Research Funding.

Beschreibung: The adoptive transfer of autologous T cells genetically modified to express a CD19-specific, 4-1BB/CD3z-signaling CAR (CTL019) has shown remarkable activity and induce long-term remissions in a subset of patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). To date, little is known about predictive indicators of efficacy. This study was designed to evaluate biomarkers of clinical response to CTL019 in CLL. We studied forty-one patients with advanced, heavily pre-treated and high-risk CLL who received at least one dose of CTL019 cells. We show that in vivo expansion and persistence are key quality attributes of CTL019 cells in CLL patients who have complete responses to therapy; in 2 patients responses are sustained beyond five years and accompanied by the persistence of functional CTL019 cells. Furthermore, durable remissions were associated with transcriptomic signatures of early memory T cells, while T cells from non-responding patients were enriched in genes belonging to known pathways of terminal differentiation and exhaustion. Polychromatic flow cytometry also demonstrated a significantly higher level of T cell exhaustion markers on the infused CAR T cells and reduced CD27 expression in non-responding patients. Accordingly, the combined assessment of PD1 and CD27 expression on CD8+ CTL019 cells in the infusion product accurately predicted response to treatment. Restimulation of the infusion product through the CAR further demonstrated that CTL019 cells from complete responders secreted significantly higher levels of several cytokines, including CCL20, IL-21, IL-22, IL-17, and IL-6, suggesting that the STAT3 signaling pathway may play a role in potentiating the enhanced potency of CTL019 cells. To identify a phenotype of T cells that is predictive of response prior to CTL019 manufacturing, we initially retrospectively evaluated the proportions of naïve, stem cell memory, central memory, effector memory and effector cells at the time of leukapheresis and observed either marginally significant or no significant correlations with clinical outcome. A systematic, unbiased analysis of the same biomarker panel revealed that the frequency of CD27+CD45RO- cells in the CD8+ T cell population correlated significantly with complete and durable responses to this therapy. Analysis of the infusion products using the same flow cytometric panel showed that most (〉95%) of T cells expressed CD45RO at the end of the manufacturing run; CD27 expression frequencies, however, were maintained at the same level as in the leukapheresis. Together, these findings suggest that intrinsic T cell fitness dictates both response and resistance to highly active engineered CAR T cells. Thus, enrichment of T cells with optimal differentiation potential and proliferative capacity by timing of collection or culture modification might potentiate the generation of maximally efficacious infusion products. These data and additional immunological biomarkers may be used to identify which patients are most likely to respond to adoptive transfer strategies, leading to an enhanced personalized approach to cellular therapy. Disclosures Fraietta: Novartis: Patents & Royalties: Novartis, Research Funding. Lacey:Novartis: Research Funding. Wilcox:Novartis: Research Funding. Bedoya:Novartis: Research Funding. Chen:Novartis: Research Funding. Orlando:Novartis: Employment. Brogdon:Novartis: Employment. Hwang:Novartis: Research Funding. Frey:Novartis: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy. Pequignot:Novartis: Research Funding. Ambrose:Novartis: Research Funding. Levine:Novartis: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding; GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences: Consultancy. Bitter:Novartis: Employment. Porter:Genentech: Employment; Novartis: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Xu:Novartis: Research Funding. June:Immune Design: Consultancy, Equity Ownership; University of Pennsylvania: Patents & Royalties; Celldex: Consultancy, Equity Ownership; Novartis: Honoraria, Patents & Royalties: Immunology, Research Funding; Tmunity: Equity Ownership, Other: Founder, stockholder ; Pfizer: Honoraria; Johnson & Johnson: Research Funding. Melenhorst:Novartis: Patents & Royalties: Novartis, Research Funding.

Beschreibung: INTRODUCTION Anti-CD19 CAR T-cell immunotherapy is promising for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL. Hypogammaglobinemia can result from normal CD19+ B-cell depletion by CAR-T cells. CLL patients are already at risk for infections due to impaired immune function, lymphodepletion prior to CAR-T cells infusion, and immunosuppressive therapies. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is used to manage hypogammaglobulinemia, although standard criteria for IVIG administration in this setting has not been established. We studied the incidence of hypogammaglobinemia and report infectious complications, risk factors, IVIG use, and clinical outcomes for CLL patients treated with anti-CD19 CAR-T cells. METHODS Adult CLL patients who received CD19-directed CAR-T therapy in 3 clinical trials (NCT01029366, NCT01747486, NCT02640209) from July 2010 to February 2020 were included. We reviewed demographics, available IgG levels, IVIG use, and clinical outcomes with a particular focus on infectious complications. Hypogammaglobulinemia was defined as IgG