Use of Anti-Interleukin-6 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody in Drug-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a disorder that involves the activation of alveolar macrophages triggering the innate immune system. The parenchymal lung injury seen in ARDS is a result of many proinflammatory elevations including interleukin-6. There remains no effective standard of care of ARDS, and current treatments at this time currently do not target the immunological mechanisms or pathways involved. Treatments involving this pathway should be further investigated as targeted treatment. We discuss a case of a patient with multiple myeloma who was hospitalized with drug-induced ARDS who had a rapid response to an anti-interleukin-6 monoclonal antibody

Hormonal Modulation in the Treatment of Breast Cancer KEYWORDS Hormonal modulation Breast cancer Aromatase inhibitors Ovarian suppression GnRH agonist Antiestrogens SERM SERD

BREAST CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in women worldwide. It is estimated that 207,090 women were diagnosed with and 39,840 women died of breast cancer in 2010. Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results data predict that 12% of women born today, or 1 in 8 women, will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Long-term survival rates are closely linked to breast cancer stage at presentation. Sixty percent of women are diagnosed when the cancer is confined to the breast (without lymph node involvement), and these women have an excellent 5-year relative survival of 98%. Thirty-three percent of women with breast cancer present with disease that has spread to local/regional lymph nodes and for this group, 5-year relative survival is 83.6 %. Only 5% of women with breast cancer present with initial metastatic disease, and for this population 5-year relative survival is only 23.4% and close to none are cured of the cancer. 1 Breast cancer can metastasize many years after the initial diagnosis and treatment. Thus, the 5-year relative survival statistics omit recurrences that occur after 5 years, which is more common in women treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, trastuzumab, or hormonal modulation than in most other cancers. Furthermore, most of these relapses are outside the breast, leading to incurable stage IV disease. Despite recent advances in breast cancer therapy and earlier diagnosis with screening, 24% to 30

Assessment of Minimal Residual Disease in a Phase 1b Study of Once-Weekly Carfilzomib Combined with Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Introduction: While minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity is not yet an established regulatory surrogate for a clinical endpoint in multiple myeloma (MM), it does have value as a prognostic biomarker and in assessing disease status. Previously we reported results from a phase 1b trial that described the safety and efficacy of the triplet regimen carfilzomib (given weekly), lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd) in patients with relapsed and/or refractory MM (RRMM) or newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) (Biran et al, Am J Hematol 2019;94:794-802; Alsina et al, Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 2019;19:Suppl E52). Here, we evaluate MRD status by flow cytometry after treatment with weekly KRd in this trial. Methods: A total of 56 patients with RRMM and 51 with NDMM were enrolled and treated with weekly KRd. Treatment was given in 28-day cycles. Carfilzomib was given on days 1, 8, and 15; lenalidomide 25 mg on days 1-21; and dexamethasone 40 mg on days 1, 8, and 15 (also day 22 for cycle 1-8). In the NDMM cohort, patients were enrolled regardless of transplant eligibility, and treatment interruption for mobilization and collection with or without autologous stem cell transplant was allowed after cycle 4. Per the protocol, aspirate was collected for flow cytometry evaluation at two separate endpoints: at cycle 8 day 1 (C8D1); and at the time when laboratory data supported a response of complete response (CR) or better (on the basis of negative immunofixation on serum and urine). Sample quality was assessed by several measures (including the presence of mast cells, erythroid precursors, and immature B cells), and viability was determined using a flow assay. Adequate samples were tested for MRD using 8-color flow cytometry in two tubes, with a sensitivity of 10-5. MRD was reported as positive when a minimum of 2 x 106 CD138+ cells per tube were evaluated, and ≥ 20 abnormal events detected. Results: Overall, 58 of 79 (73.4%) study-specified samples were obtained and evaluated by flow cytometry. Of the NDMM patients, 15 had bone marrow aspirate evaluable for MRD at C8D1 (in total 22 patients were treated to C8D1), and 12 had bone marrow aspirate evaluable for MRD at the time of CR (14 patients achieved CR). At C8D1, 53% (8/15) of NDMM patients with flow data achieved MRD negativity, and at time of CR, 83% (10/12) of NDMM patients were MRD negative (the remaining patients with flow data were determined to be MRD positive). Among the 12 NDMM patients evaluated for MRD at time of CR, 17% had high-risk cytogenetics, 58% had standard-risk cytogenetics, and 25% had unknown cytogenetic risk status. Of the RRMM patients, 26 had bone marrow aspirate evaluable for MRD at C8D1 (30 patients were treated to C8D1), and five had bone marrow aspirate evaluable for MRD at the time of suspected CR or better (in total 13 patients achieved CR). Of RRMM patients with available flow data at time of CR, 40% (2/5) achieved MRD negativity, and of those with flow data at C8D1, 50% (13/26) achieved MRD negativity. Of all patient samples evaluated for MRD, 67% of NDMM and 48% of RRMM samples were MRD negative. The results reported here are directionally comparable to the rates of MRD-negative CRs observed in previous studies of twice-weekly KRd in NDMM (Jasielec J et al, Blood 2014;124:2127; Kazandjian D et al, JAMA Oncol 2018;4:1781-1783; Zimmerman T et al, Blood 2016;128:675). Our findings are limited by incomplete acquisition of samples to support a full MRD analysis per protocol (approximately 73% of the intended time point samples were acquired). Additionally, we reported MRD status without censoring for missing MRD data, as would be required to analyze MRD for a randomized controlled trial to eliminate acquisition bias. A robust comparison of MRD-negative CR rates between regimens would require an RCT with full MRD sampling, and sensitivity analyses that treat missing MRD data as MRD-positive (Chari A et al, Blood 2017;130:974-981; Voorhees PM et al, Blood 2020). Conclusions: We have previously shown that once-weekly KRd is active and has acceptable toxicity in both the RRMM and NDMM settings. We found that among MRD-evaluable patients who had a CR or better, MRD negativity rates were impressive in both the NDMM setting (83%) and in the RRMM setting (40%), suggesting that the weekly KRd regimen can induce MRD-negative CRs in both settings. Disclosures Landgren: Adaptive: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Juno: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Cellectis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Merck: Other; Cellectis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Binding Site: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Other; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Glenmark: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Binding Site: Consultancy, Honoraria; Karyopharma: Research Funding; Takeda: Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Juno: Consultancy, Honoraria; Glenmark: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Karyopharma: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Alsina:Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Biran:Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: reimbursement of travel and accomodation, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; KAryopharma: Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: reimbursement of travel and accomodation, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: reimbursement of travel and accommodation, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Vesole:Amgen: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Speakers Bureau; BMS: Speakers Bureau. Fang:Amgen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Arnold:Amgen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Kimball:Amgen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; WindMIL Therapeutics: Current equity holder in private company. Siegel:Karyopharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celulatiry: Consultancy. OffLabel Disclosure: Carfilzomib is a proteasome inhibitor that can be used for the treatment of relapses/refractory multiple myelom

A Phase 1b Study Investigating Carfilzomib Administered Once Weekly in Combination with Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Background: The combination of carfilzomib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (KRd) is approved in the United States and the European Union (EU) for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Under these approvals, carfilzomib is administered twice weekly as a 10-minute intravenous (IV) infusion at a dose of 20/27 mg/m2. The phase 1/2 CHAMPION-1 study showed that once-weekly carfilzomib (20/70 mg/m2; 30-minute IV infusion) with dexamethasone was well tolerated and active in patients with RRMM (Berenson et al. Blood. 2016;127:3360−3368). We present initial results from the dose evaluation component of a phase 1b study (NCT02335983) assessing the safety and efficacy of once-weekly carfilzomib with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with MM. Methods: This is an open-label, multicenter, dose-finding, phase 1b study.The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a once-weekly KRd regimen. Secondary objectives included evaluation of the efficacy of a once-weekly KRd regimen. This study consists of 2 parts: a dose-evaluation component in patients with RRMM and a dose-expansion component in both RRMM and newly diagnosed MM (NDMM). Results from the ongoing dose-evaluation component in RRMM are presented. There were 2 planned dose cohorts in the dose-evaluation portion of the study: carfilzomib 56 mg/m2 KRd cohort (56 mg/m2) and carfilzomib 70 mg/m2 KRdcohort (70 mg/m2). All patients received carfilzomib (days 1, 8, and 15), lenalidomide 25 mg (days 1 - 21), and dexamethasone 40 mg (days 1, 8, 15 and 22) on a 28-day cycle (dexamethasone was not administered on day 22 for cycles 9+). Carfilzomib was administered as a 30-minute IV infusion: 20 mg/m2 on cycle 1 day 1 with escalation to the assigned dose level (56 or 70 mg/m2) thereafter. The protocol allowed 8 DLT-evaluable patients to be treated in the 56 mg/m2 and 70 mg/m2 cohorts. Response was assessed by investigators using International Myeloma Working Group Uniform Response Criteria. The data cutoff date for this analysis was June 23, 2016. Results: A total of 22 patients (56 mg/m2, n=10; 70 mg/m2, n=12) with a median age of 69 (range, 50-87) years were enrolled in the dose evaluation component of the study. The median number of prior regimens was 1 (range, 1 - 3) in both cohorts. There were no dose-limiting toxicities observed in any of the 15 dose-evaluable RRMM patients (56 mg/m2 cohort, n=8; 70 mg/m2 cohort, n=7). The median number of cycles started as of data cutoff was 9.5 (range, 3-15) in the 56 mg/m2 cohort and 6.0 (range, 2-9) in the 70 mg/m2 cohort. All patients experienced at least 1 treatment-emergent adverse event (AE). Grade ≥3 AEs occurring in ≥9% of patients, and any AE of interest are shown in Table 1. The only grade ≥3 AEs to occur in ≥2 patients (≥9%) were thrombocytopenia (56 mg/m2, n=2; 70 mg/m2, n=1), decreased neutrophil count (56 mg/m2, n=2; 70 mg/m2, n=1), anemia (56 mg/m2, n=2), and hypertension (56 mg/m2, n=1; 70 mg/m2, n=1). Although the numbers were small, there was no apparent difference in the incidence of dyspnea or hypertension between the 56 and 70 mg/m2 cohorts. Cardiac or renal failure of any grade was not reported at the time of the database snapshot in these patients with RRMM. Response rates after 4 cycles, as assessed by investigators, are shown in Table 2. Two patients in the 56 mg/m2 cohort did not complete 4 cycles: an 87-year old patient developed asymptomatic pulmonary hypertension (detected on a required echocardiogram study) and was taken off therapy; another patient withdrew consent. One patient in the 70 mg/m2 cohort had a partial response after cycle 1 but was found to have progressive disease in cycle 3 (listed as did not complete 4 cycles in Table 2). After 4 cycles, the response rates (investigator assessed), were 70% and 75% in the 56 and 70 mg/m2 cohorts (response assessment for 2 patients in the 70 mg/m2 cohort was missing at the time of the data cutoff). Conclusions: These results demonstrate that carfilzomib administered in a convenient once-weekly schedule in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with RRMM is safe with promising efficacy. The 70 mg/m2 dosing was selected for dose-expansion cohorts in RRMM and NDMM. An update on the expansion cohorts will be presented at the meeting. Disclosures Biran: Onyx: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Siegel:Novartis: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Merck: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Berdeja:Abbvie, Acetylon, Amgen, Bluebird, BMS, Calithera, Celgene, Constellation, Curis, Epizyme, Janssen, Karyopharm, Kesios, Novartis, Onyx, Takeda, Tragara: Research Funding. Faber:Celgene: Speakers Bureau; Cardinal Health: Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria. Seneviratne:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau. Alsina:Onyx: Speakers Bureau; Millenium Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Signal Genetics: Consultancy; Onyx: Consultancy. Bensinger:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Kimball:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zhou:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Landgren:BMS: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding

Weekly carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: A phase 1b study

Twice-weekly carfilzomib (27 mg/m(2)) with lenalidomide-dexamethasone (KRd) is a standard-of-care in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). This phase 1b study evaluated KRd with once-weekly carfilzomib in RRMM. Patients received carfilzomib (30-minute infusion; 56 or 70mg/m(2)) on days 1, 8, and 15; lenalidomide 25 mg on days 1-21; and dexamethasone 40 mg on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 (day 22 omitted for cycles 9+) of 28-day cycles. Primary objective was safety/tolerability; efficacy was a secondary objective. Fifty-six RRMM patients enrolled: 22 during dose evaluation (56-mg/m(2), n = 10; 70-mg/m(2), n = 12) and 34 during dose expansion (all initiated dosing at 70 mg/m(2)). After 2 fatal adverse events (AEs) during 70-mg/m(2) dose expansion, dosage reduction to 56 mg/m(2) was permitted. Results are presented for carfilzomib 56-mg/m(2) (n = 10) and 70-mg/m(2) groups (dose evaluation/expansion; n = 46). Median carfilzomib dose was 53.2 mg/m(2) (56-mg/m(2) group) and 62.4 mg/m(2) (70-mg/m(2) group). Grade >= 3 AE rates were 70.0% (56 mg/m(2)) and 69.6% (70 mg/m(2)). Overall response rates were 90.0% (56 mg/m(2)) and 89.1% (70 mg/m(2)); >= very good partial response rates were 50.0% (56 mg/m(2)) and 73.9% (70 mg/m(2)). Once-weekly KRd was active with acceptable toxicity in RRMM, supporting further evaluation of this regimen