A phase 1b study of AFM13 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma

In relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (R/R HL), immunotherapies such as the anti-programmed death-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab have demonstrated efficacy as monotherapy and are playing an increasingly prominent role in treatment. The CD30/CD16A-bispecific antibody AFM13 is an innate immune cell engager, a first-in-class, tetravalent antibody, designed to create a bridge between CD30 on HL cells and the CD16A receptor on natural killer cells and macrophages, to induce tumor cell killing. Early studies of AFM13 have demonstrated signs of efficacy as monotherapy for patients with R/RHL and the combination of AFM13 with pembrolizumab represents a rational new treatment modality. Here, we describe a phase 1b, dose-escalation study to assess the safety and preliminary efficacy of AFM13 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with R/R HL. The primary objective was estimating the maximum tolerated dose; the secondary objectives were to assess safety, tolerability, antitumor efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. In this heavily pretreated patient population, treatment with the combination of AFM13 and pembrolizumab was generally well tolerated, with similar safety profiles compared to the known profiles of each agent alone. The combination of AFM13 with pembrolizumab demonstrated an objective response rate of 88% at the highest treatment dose, with an 83% overall response rate for the overall population. Pharmacokinetic assessment of AFM13 in the combination setting revealed a half-life of up to 20.6 hours. This proof-of-concept study holds promise as a novel immunotherapy combination worthy of further investigation

Single versus tandem autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and high-risk cytogenetics. A retrospective, open-label study of the PETHEMA/Spanish Myeloma Group (GEM)

Tandem ASCT has been suggested as a valid approach to improve the prognosis of patients with MM and HR cytogenetic. In this observational, retrospective study, 213 patients with newly diagnosed MM and HR cytogenetic in 35 hospitals from the Spanish Myeloma Group underwent single or tandem ASCT between January 2015 and December 2019 after induction with VTD/VRD. HR cytogenetic was defined as having ≥1 of the following: del17p, t(4;14), t(14;16) or gain 1q21. More patients in the tandem group had R-ISS 3 and >1 cytogenetic abnormality at diagnosis. With a median follow-up of 31 months (range, 10–82), PFS after single ASCT was 41 months versus 48 months with tandem ASCT (p = 0.33). PFS in patients with del17p undergoing single ASCT was 41 months, while 52% of patients undergoing tandem ASCT were alive and disease free at 48 months. In conclusion, tandem ASCT partly overcomes the bad prognosis of HR cytogenetic

Identification of 12 new susceptibility loci for different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer.

To identify common alleles associated with different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we pooled data from multiple genome-wide genotyping projects totaling 25,509 EOC cases and 40,941 controls. We identified nine new susceptibility loci for different EOC histotypes: six for serous EOC histotypes (3q28, 4q32.3, 8q21.11, 10q24.33, 18q11.2 and 22q12.1), two for mucinous EOC (3q22.3 and 9q31.1) and one for endometrioid EOC (5q12.3). We then performed meta-analysis on the results for high-grade serous ovarian cancer with the results from analysis of 31,448 BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, including 3,887 mutation carriers with EOC. This identified three additional susceptibility loci at 2q13, 8q24.1 and 12q24.31. Integrated analyses of genes and regulatory biofeatures at each locus predicted candidate susceptibility genes, including OBFC1, a new candidate susceptibility gene for low-grade and borderline serous EOC

A Phase 1b Study Investigating the Combination of the Tetravalent Bispecific NK Cell Engager AFM13 and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma after Brentuximab Vedotin Failure: Updated Safety and Efficacy Data

Abstract Background AFM13 is a bispecific, tetravalent NK cell-engaging antibody construct binding to CD30 on CD30+ tumor cells and CD16A on NK cells. By engaging CD16A-positive NK cells, AFM13 leads to NK cell-mediated killing of CD30-positive lymphoma cells (Reusch et al., 2014) making it an attractive agent to target classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Pembrolizumab is a PD-1 blocking antibody which has shown high single-agent response rates in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory HL (RRHL; Armand et al., 2016, Chen et al., 2017). AFM13 has shown clinical activity in RRHL as a single agent in a preceding Phase 1 study (Rothe et al., 2015). Preclinical in vivo data of the combination of AFM13 with PD-1 blockade showed synergistic activity and the potential for induction of cross-talk between innate and adaptive immunity (Zhao et al., 2016). We hypothesize that the combination of the two agents could improve outcomes in pts with RRHL. Methods This Phase 1b study is evaluating the safety and tolerability of the combination of AFM13 with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as salvage therapy after failure of standard therapies including brentuximab vedotin (BV) in HL (NCT02665650). Pts receive escalating doses of AFM13 in combination with pembrolizumab at a dose of 200 mg flat administered every 3 weeks following a classical 3+3 design, followed by enrollment into an extension cohort at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/maximum administered dose (MAD). Response assessment is performed every 12 weeks by PET/CT according to the Lugano Classification (Cheson et al., 2014). The main objectives of the study is to ascertain the MTD/MAD along with the preliminary efficacy of the combination. Results As of June 29, 2018, 30 pts have been enrolled into the study. The median age is 34 years (range, 18-73), with a median of 4 (range 3-7) prior lines of therapy. All pts had relapsed or refractory disease (43% relapsed, 57% refractory) and had failed standard treatments including BV and 43% of pts (13/30) had BV as their latest therapy. Thirty seven percent (11/30) had undergone prior autologous stem cell transplantation. All 30 pts have completed the 6-week dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) observation period. Twelve pts were enrolled into the dose escalation cohorts (Cohorts 1 (n=3), 2 (n=3), and 3 (n=6)) and 18 into the Extension Cohort, with a total of 24 patients treated at the MAD (dose level 3). One DLT was observed in Cohort 3 (missing ≥25% of AFM13 during the DLT period) and another observed in the Extension Cohort (G4 infusion-related reaction; IRR). The most common related adverse events (AEs) were IRRs (80%), rash (30%), pyrexia (23%), nausea (23%), diarrhea (20%), fatigue (17%), headache (17%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (13%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (10%). Treatment related G3/4 AEs included IRRs (13%), elevated AST (3%), gastritis (3%), hypotension (3%), nausea (3%), neutropenia (3%), and vomiting (3%). The majority of IRRs were manageable with standard of care measures and did not lead to treatment discontinuations. Included in the efficacy analysis were the best response from 29 evaluable pts who had at least one post-baseline disease assessment as of the data cutoff on June 29, 2018. The overall response rate (ORR) and complete response (CR) rate for evaluable pts treated at the dose and schedule chosen for expansion (n=23; Cohort 3 and Extension Cohort) were 87% and 35% by the investigator-confirmed assessment, respectively. Independent assessment resulted in an ORR of 87% and CR rate of 39% for these pts. Updated data for all 30 patients will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions The combination of AFM13 and pembrolizumab is a well-tolerated salvage therapy in pts with RRHL. IRRs were the most frequently observed adverse events; however, most of these events were of mild or moderate severity and manageable. Both the ORR and CR rate compare favorably to monotherapy pembrolizumab in a similar RRHL population (Chen et al., 2017). The combination of AFM13 and pembrolizumab could be a potential new therapeutic option for HL patients. Disclosures Bartlett: Immune Design: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Research Funding; Merck & Co: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Forty Seven: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; ImaginAB: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; KITE: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Research Funding; Acerta: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Chen:Affimed: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech Inc.: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Merck & Co., Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Millennium Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Domingo-Domenech:Affimed: Research Funding. Forero-Torres:Affimed: Research Funding. Garcia-Sanz:Affimed: Research Funding. Devata:Affimed: Research Funding. Rodriguez Izquierdo:Affimed: Research Funding. Lossos:Affimed: Research Funding. Reeder:Affimed: Research Funding. Sher:Affimed: Research Funding. Choe-Juliak:Affimed: Employment. Prier:Affimed: Research Funding. Schwarz:Affimed: Employment. Strassz:Affimed: Employment. Alland:Affimed: Employment. Ansell:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Celldex: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Merck & Co: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding

Potential Survival Benefit for Patients Receiving Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation after Nivolumab Therapy for Relapse/Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma: Real-Life Experience in Spain.

Clinical trials have shown that nivolumab has remarkable activity against relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). However, the role of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) as consolidation therapy in these patients remains controversial. We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 74 patients treated with nivolumab. The overall response rate was 58% (including 30.6% with complete responses). Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 56.8% of patients (grade ≥3 in 9.4%). The main reasons for nivolumab discontinuation were referral for transplantation (41.7% patients) and disease progression (37.5%). The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 52% for the entire series. Ultimately, 39 patients underwent allo-HSCT. The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease was 33.3% (grade III-IV in 2 patients). The cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality was 13.2%. Among the patients who responded to nivolumab, the 2-year OS and progression-free survival (PFS) were higher in patients who underwent consolidation with allo-HSCT (77.5% versus 42.6% [P = .126] and 73.9% versus 27.2% [P = .025], respectively). Thus, the efficacy and safety of nivolumab were comparable to values reported in previous clinical trials. The percentage of patients who bridged to transplantation was high, indicating a preference for Spanish physicians. These results suggest that consolidation allo-HSCT increases OS and PFS