Dual targeting of CD19 and CD22 with Bicistronic CAR-T cells in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Large B Cell Lymphoma

Relapse following CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) for relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (r/r LBCL) is commonly ascribed to antigen loss or CAR-T exhaustion. Multi-antigen targeting and PD-1 blockade are rational approaches to prevent relapse. Here, we test CD19/22 dual-targeting CAR-T (AUTO3) plus pembrolizumab in r/r LBCL as inpatient or outpatient therapy (NCT03289455, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03289455). Endpoints include toxicity (primary) and response rates (secondary). AUTO3 was manufactured for 62 patients using autologous leukapheresis, modified with a bicistronic transgene. 52 patients received AUTO3 (7/52,50x106; 45/52,150-450x106) and 48/52 received pembrolizumab. Median age was 59 years (range,27-83) and 46/52 had stage III/IV disease. Median follow-up was 21.6 months (range,15.1-51.3) at last data cut (Feb 28, 2022). AUTO3 was safe: grade 1-2 and grade 3 CRS affected 18/52 (34.6%) and 1/52 (1.9%) patients, neurotoxicity arose in 4 patients (2/4, grade 3-4), HLH affected 2 patients, and no Pembrolizumab-associated autoimmune sequalae were observed. On this basis, outpatient administration was tested in 20 patients, saving a median of 14 hospital days/patient. AUTO3 was effective: overall response rates were 66% (48.9%, CR; 17%, PR). For patients with CR, median DOR was not reached, with 54.4% (CI: 32.8, 71.7) projected to remain progression-free beyond 12 months after onset of remission. DOR for all responding patients was 8.3 months (95% CI: 3.0, NE) with 42.6% projected to remain progression-free beyond 12 months after onset of remission. Overall, AUTO3 +/- pembrolizumab for r/r LBCL was safe, lending itself to outpatient administration, and delivered durable remissions in 54.4% of complete responders, associated with robust CAR-T expansion. Neither dual-targeting CAR-T nor pembrolizumab prevented relapse in a significant proportion of patients, and future developments include next-generation-AUTO3, engineered for superior expansion/persistence in vivo, and selection of CAR binders active at low antigen densities

Avelumab in Combination Regimens for Relapsed/Refractory DLBCL:Results from the Phase Ib JAVELIN DLBCL Study

Background Relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is associated with a poor prognosis despite the availability of multiple treatment options. Preliminary evidence suggests that DLBCL may be responsive to programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed death 1 inhibitors. Objective The JAVELIN DLBCL study was conducted to assess whether a combination of agents could augment and sustain the antitumor immunity of avelumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, in R/R DLBCL. Methods This was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-arm study with a phase Ib and a phase III component. Reported here are the results from the phase Ib study, wherein 29 adult patients with DLBCL were randomized 1:1:1 to receive avelumab in combination with utomilumab (an immunoglobulin G2 4-1BB agonist) and rituximab (arm A), avelumab in combination with utomilumab and azacitidine (arm B), or avelumab in combination with bendamustine and rituximab (arm C). The primary endpoints were dose-limiting toxicities and objective response as assessed by the investigator per Lugano Response Classification criteria. Results Of the seven patients in arm A, one (14.3%) experienced two grade 3 dose-limiting toxicities (herpes zoster and ophthalmic herpes zoster); no dose-limiting toxicities were reported in arms B or C. No new safety concerns emerged for avelumab. One partial response was reported in arm A, three complete responses in arm C, and no responses in arm B. Given the insufficient antitumor activity in arms A and B and the infeasibility of expanding arm C, the study was discontinued before initiation of the phase III component. Conclusions The low level of clinical activity suggests that PD-L1 inhibitor activity may be limited in R/R DLBCL. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02951156

Organ aging signatures in the plasma proteome track health and disease.

Animal studies show aging varies between individuals as well as between organs within an individual1-4, but whether this is true in humans and its effect on age-related diseases is unknown. We utilized levels of human blood plasma proteins originating from specific organs to measure organ-specific aging differences in living individuals. Using machine learning models, we analysed aging in 11 major organs and estimated organ age reproducibly in five independent cohorts encompassing 5,676 adults across the human lifespan. We discovered nearly 20% of the population show strongly accelerated age in one organ and 1.7% are multi-organ agers. Accelerated organ aging confers 20-50% higher mortality risk, and organ-specific diseases relate to faster aging of those organs. We find individuals with accelerated heart aging have a 250% increased heart failure risk and accelerated brain and vascular aging predict Alzheimers disease (AD) progression independently from and as strongly as plasma pTau-181 (ref. 5), the current best blood-based biomarker for AD. Our models link vascular calcification, extracellular matrix alterations and synaptic protein shedding to early cognitive decline. We introduce a simple and interpretable method to study organ aging using plasma proteomics data, predicting diseases and aging effects