Blinatumomab after R-CHOP bridging therapy for patients with Richter transformation: a phase 2 multicentre trial.

Richter transformation (RT) is an aggressive lymphoma occurring in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Here we investigated the anti-CD3/anti-CD19 T-cell-engager blinatumomab after R-CHOP (i.e. rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) in patients with untreated RT of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma histology (NCT03931642). In this multicentre phase 2 study, patients without complete response (CR) after two cycles of R-CHOP were eligible to receive an 8-week blinatumomab induction via continuous vein infusion with stepwise dosing until 112 µg/day. The primary endpoint was the CR rate after blinatumomab induction and secondary endpoint included safety, response duration, progression-free and overall survival. Thirty-nine patients started the first cycle of R-CHOP, 25 of whom received blinatumomab. After blinatumomab induction, five (20%) patients achieved CR, four (16%) achieved partial response, and six (24%) were stable. Considering the entire strategy, the overall response rate in the full-analysis-set was 46% (n = 18), with CR in 14 (36%) patients. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of all grades in the blinatumomab-safety-set included fever (36%), anaemia (24%), and lymphopaenia (24%). Cytokine release syndrome (grade 1/2) was observed in 16% and neurotoxicity in 20% of patients. Blinatumomab demonstrated encouraging anti-tumour activity (the trial met its primary endpoint) and acceptable toxicity in patients with RT.

First-line treatment with KN046, chemotherapy and palliative radiotherapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: an open-label, dose escalation, and dose expansion phase Ib trial.

There is growing evidence to suggest that radiotherapy might enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. This study aimed to assess the possibility of KN046, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-L1 and CTLA-4, combined with chemotherapy and palliative radiotherapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In this open-label, phase Ib trial, patients with advanced ESCC were administered chemotherapy with palliative radiotherapy, and KN046 in the predefined escalation dosages of 1, 3, or 5 mg/kg (every 3 weeks during chemotherapy cycles and every 2 weeks during KN046 maintenance). The chemotherapy regimen constituted cisplatin (75 mg/m2 i.v., d1) and paclitaxel (135-175 mg/m2 ivgtt., d1). Radiotherapy specifics, including site, timing, dose, and fragmentation pattern, were at the investigator's discretion. The primary outcome was dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). From May 2019 to April 2021, 25 patients were enrolled across the dosage groups: 3 in 1 mg/kg, 12 in 3 mg/kg, and 10 in 5 mg/kg. No DLT was observed during the dose escalation. The objective response rate was 41.7% (95%CI 22.1-63.4), while the disease control rate was 87.5% (95%CI 67.6-97.3). At a median follow-up of 11.8 months, the median progression-free survival was 7.8 months (95%CI 5.2-9.7) and median overall survival was 15.9 months (95%CI 8.4-NE). Serious adverse events were reported in 48.0% of patients, predominantly leukopenia (16%), immune-mediated enterocolitis (12%), immune-mediated pneumonitis (8%), and neutropenia (8%). Combining KN046 with chemotherapy and palliative radiotherapy might be feasible, showing a favorable safety profile and notable efficacy in advanced ESCC patients.

Safety and clinical activity of JNJ-78306358, a human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) x CD3 bispecific antibody, for the treatment of advanced stage solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: JNJ-78306358 is a bispecific antibody that redirects T cells to kill human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G)-expressing tumor cells. This dose escalation study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary antitumor activity of JNJ-78306358 in patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS: Adult patients with metastatic/unresectable solid tumors with high prevalence of HLA-G expression were enrolled. Dose escalation was initiated with once-weekly subcutaneous administration with step-up dosing to mitigate cytokine release syndrome (CRS). RESULTS: Overall, 39 heavily pretreated patients (colorectal cancer: n = 23, ovarian cancer: n = 10, and renal cell carcinoma: n = 6) were dosed in 7 cohorts. Most patients (94.9%) experienced ≥ 1 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs); 87.2% had ≥ 1 related TEAEs. About half of the patients (48.7%) experienced CRS, which were grade 1/2. Nine patients (23.1%) received tocilizumab for CRS. No grade 3 CRS was observed. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) of increased transaminases, pneumonitis and recurrent CRS requiring a dose reduction were reported in 4 patients, coinciding with CRS. No treatment-related deaths reported. No objective responses were noted, but 2 patients had stable disease > 40 weeks. JNJ-78306358 stimulated peripheral T cell activation and cytokine release. Anti-drug antibodies were observed in 45% of evaluable patients with impact on exposure. Approximately half of archival tumor samples (48%) had expression of HLA-G by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: JNJ-78306358 showed pharmacodynamic effects with induction of cytokines and T cell activation. JNJ-78306358 was associated with CRS-related toxicities including increased transaminases and pneumonitis which limited its dose escalation to potentially efficacious levels. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT04991740).

First-in-human clinical trial results with ABBV-184, a first-in-class T-cell receptor/anti-CD3 bispecific protein, in adults with previously treated AML or NSCLC.

BACKGROUND: ABBV-184, a novel survivin peptide-targeting T-cell receptor (TCR)/anti-CD3 bispecific protein, demonstrated preclinical T-cell activation and cytotoxicity toward HLA-A2:01-positive tumor lines. This first-in-human trial evaluated ABBV-184 monotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This phase 1 multicenter, open-label, dose escalation trial (NCT04272203) enrolled adult patients with relapsed/refractory AML or NSCLC with an HLA-A2:01 restricted genotype. Patients received ABBV-184 at 0.07 ug/kg initially, with 2- to 3-fold dose increases. The primary objective was determining the ABBV-184 recommended phase 2 dose. Secondary objectives included safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity assessments. RESULTS: Fifteen patients enrolled in the dose escalation (8 AML and 7 NSCLC). ABBV-184 doses ranged from 0.07 mg/kg-0.7 µg/kg, with a half-life of approximately 13-29 hours. Transient cytokine increases were observed at all dose levels, and in patients with NSCLC, transient peripheral blood lymphocyte decreases were observed. The most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were anemia, diarrhea, and headache. Grade 1-2 infusion-related reaction (IRR) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) TEAEs were reported. CONCLUSIONS: ABBV-184 was well tolerated and demonstrated preliminary evidence of CD3 engagement with transient cytokine increases and peripheral lymphocyte decreases. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04272203.

Dosing Strategies and Quantitative Clinical Pharmacology for Bispecific T-Cell Engagers Development in Oncology.

Bispecific T-cell Engagers (TCEs) are promising anti-cancer treatments that bind to both the CD3 receptors on T cells and an antigen on the surface of tumor cells, creating an immune synapse, leading to killing of malignant tumor cells. These novel therapies have unique development challenges, with specific safety risks of cytokine release syndrome. These on-target adverse events fortunately can be mitigated and deconvoluted from efficacy via innovative dosing strategies, making clinical pharmacology key in the development of these therapies. This review assesses dose selection and the role of quantitative clinical pharmacology in the development of the first eight approved TCEs. Model informed drug development (MIDD) strategies can be used at every stage to guide TCE development. Mechanistic modeling approaches allow for (1) efficacious yet safe first-in-human dose selection as compared with in vitro minimum anticipated biological effect level (MABEL) approach; (2) rapid escalation and reducing number of patients with subtherapeutic doses through model-based adaptive design; (3) virtual testing of different step-up dosing regimens that may not be feasible to be evaluated in the clinic; and (4) selection and justification of the optimal clinical step-up and full treatment doses. As the knowledge base around TCEs continues to grow, the relevance and utilization of MIDD strategies for supporting the development and dose optimization of these molecules are expected to advance, optimizing the benefit-risk profile for cancer patients.

[Clinical efficacy and safety of blinatumomab bridging CAR-T cell therapy in the treatment of patients with adult acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia].

Objective: Exploring the efficacy and safety of bridging blinatumomab (BiTE) in combination with chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy for the treatment of adult patients with acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) . Methods: Clinical data from 36 adult B-ALL patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University from August 2018 to May 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 36 cases were included: 18 men and 18 women. The median age was 43.5 years (21-72 years). Moreover, 21 cases of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia were reported, and 16 of these cases were relapsed or refractory. Eighteen patients underwent blinatumomab bridging followed by CAR-T cell therapy, and 18 patients received CAR-T cell therapy. This study analyzed the efficacy and safety of treatment in two groups of patients. Results: In the BiTE bridge-to-CAR-T group, 16 patients achieved complete remission (CR) after BiTE immunotherapy, with a CR rate of 88.9%. One month after bridging CAR-T therapy, bone marrow examination showed a CR rate of 100.0%, and the minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity rate was higher than the nonbridging therapy group (94.4% vs. 61.1%, Fisher, P=0.041). The incidence of cytokine release syndrome and other adverse reactions in the BiTE bridge-to-CAR-T group was lower than that in the nonbridging therapy group (11.1% vs. 50.0%, Fisher, P=0.027). The follow-up reveals that 13 patients continued to maintain MRD negativity, and five patients experienced relapse 8.40 months (2.57-10.20 months) after treatment. Two of five patients with relapse achieved CR after receiving the second CAR-T cell therapy. In the nonbridging therapy group, 10 patients maintained continuous MRD negativity, 7 experienced relapse, and 6 died. The 1 year overall survival rate in the BiTE bridge-to-CAR-T group was higher than that in the nonbridging therapy group, with a statistically significant difference at the 0.1 level (88.9%±10.5% vs. 66.7%±10.9%, P=0.091) . Conclusion: BiTE bridging CAR-T cell therapy demonstrates excellent efficacy in adult B-ALL treatment, with a low recent recurrence rate and ongoing assessment of long-term efficacy during follow-up.

Blinatumomab for MRD-Negative Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Adults.

BACKGROUND: Many older adults with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) have a relapse despite having a measurable residual disease (MRD)-negative complete remission with combination chemotherapy. The addition of blinatumomab, a bispecific T-cell engager molecule that is approved for the treatment of relapsed, refractory, and MRD-positive BCP-ALL, may have efficacy in patients with MRD-negative remission. METHODS: In a phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned patients 30 to 70 years of age with BCR::ABL1-negative BCP-ALL (with :: indicating fusion) who had MRD-negative remission (defined as <0.01% leukemic cells in bone marrow as assessed on flow cytometry) after induction and intensification chemotherapy to receive four cycles of blinatumomab in addition to four cycles of consolidation chemotherapy or to receive four cycles of consolidation chemotherapy alone. The primary end point was overall survival, and relapse-free survival was a secondary end point. RESULTS: The data and safety monitoring committee reviewed the results from the third efficacy interim analysis and recommended that they be reported. Complete remission with or without full count recovery was observed in 395 of 488 enrolled patients (81%). Of the 224 patients with MRD-negative status, 112 were assigned to each group. The characteristics of the patients were balanced between the groups. At a median follow-up of 43 months, an advantage was observed in the blinatumomab group as compared with the chemotherapy-only group with regard to overall survival (at 3 years: 85% vs. 68%; hazard ratio for death, 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23 to 0.73; P = 0.002), and the 3-year relapse-free survival was 80% with blinatumomab and 64% with chemotherapy alone (hazard ratio for relapse or death, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.87). A higher incidence of neuropsychiatric events was reported in the blinatumomab group than in the chemotherapy-only group. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of blinatumomab to consolidation chemotherapy in adult patients in MRD-negative remission from BCP-ALL significantly improved overall survival. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others; E1910 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02003222.).

Blinatumomab infusion interruptions in pediatric patients rarely lead to readmission.

Blinatumomab is a bispecific T-cell engager administered as a 28-day continuous infusion. Infusions can be associated with interruptions requiring support from clinical staff, but the frequency of interventions with outpatient blinatumomab has not been characterized. This study is a single-center, retrospective review of patients who received blinatumomab between December 3, 2014 and October 31, 2021 to determine frequency and type of interventions. Forty patients received blinatumomab for 69 cycles. Clinical staff intervention was required in 31 (45%) cycles, only six (8.7%) cycles needed readmission. Management of outpatient blinatumomab infusions requires education and training of clinical staff and caregivers to quickly troubleshoot interruptions.

[The safety and efficacy of blinatumomab in the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children].

To explore the safety and efficacy of blinatumomab in the treatment of CD19 positive (CD19+) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in children. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of pediatric B-ALL patients who received blinatumomab treatment from Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from August 2021 to October 2023. Based on their disease status, the patients were divided into refractory/relapsed(RR) group, minimal residual disease clearance (MC) group, and chemotherapy intolerance (IC) group. Clinical data of the children were collected to evaluate the adverse drug reactions, therapeutic efficacy and survival of the children. In total, 35 patients were included, with 20 males and 15 females, aged from 0.6 to 16.4 (9.9±4.2) years old. There were 10 cases in the RR group, 20 cases in the MC group and 5 cases in the IC group. A total of 56 cycles of infusion were completed, with one cycle in 24 cases, two cycles in 5 cases, three cycles in 2 cases and four cycles in 4 cases. The median infusion time [M (Q1, Q3)] from the first to the fourth cycle was 14 (14, 28) days, 28 (28, 28) days, 28 (28, 28) days and 28 (26, 28) days, respectively. In terms of adverse reactions, the incidence of grade 1-2 cytokine release syndrome(CRS) was 57.1% (32/56), with grade 1 CRS accounting for 84.4% (27/32). The incidence rate of immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome(ICANS) (grade 4) was 1.8% (1/56). In the RR group, 6 cases were treated effectively, and minimal residual disease(MRD) turned negative, before treatment, MRD levels were all less than 20%. Among them, 3 cases had MRD turning positive again 14 to 42 days after discontinuation of Belintoumab. Four cases were treated ineffectively, with MRD >20% before treatment. All MRD positive cases in MC group turned negative and all MRD negative cases in the IC group remained negative after treatment. The median follow-up time of RR group was 5.7 (3.8, 9.4) months, and 1 year median survival rate and event-free survival rate were 40.0%±21.9% and 33.3%±19.2%, respectively. The median follow-up time for MC and IC group patients was 6.7 (5.2, 12.5) months and 7.1 (5.1, 7.6) months, respectively, with an event free survival rate of 100%. The safety and efficacy of using belintoumab in partial RR, MRD clearance, and chemotherapy intolerance are good.

[Efficacy of sacituzumab govitecan in a patient with TNBC with early relapse after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.] / Efficacia del sacituzumab govitecan in paziente con TNBC con recidiva precoce dopo chemioterapia neoadiuvante.

Triple-negative breast cancers patients who relapse within 12 months from the end of neoaadjuvant chemotherapy represent a subgroup with a particularly poor prognosis, due to resistance to common chemotherapy treatments. Therefore, innovative therapeutic strategies are necessary for these patients. The therapeutic arsenal for triple-negative breast cancer has been enriched in recent years with new drugs, including antibody-drug conjugates. Sacituzumab govitecan, the first antibody directed against Trop-2, has been shown to improve survival in triple-negative metastatic breast cancer (the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer) in women who have received at least two prior chemotherapy treatments in the metastatic setting. This drug has demonstrated its effectiveness even in patients with early relapse after neoadjuvant treatment. In this clinical case we describe the story of a young patient with triple-negative breast cancer, with lymphnodal recurrence, who relapses within the first 12 months after the end of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Sacituzumab govitecan resulted in a rapid and impressive clinical and instrumental response, associated with an improvement in quality of life and excellent functional status during therapy.

BL-B01D1, a first-in-class EGFR-HER3 bispecific antibody-drug conjugate, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumours: a first-in-human, open-label, multicentre, phase 1 study.

BACKGROUND: Antibody-drug conjugates have promising clinical activity in the treatment of solid tumours. BL-B01D1 is a first-in-class EGFR-HER3 bispecific antibody-drug conjugate. We aimed to assess the safety and preliminary antitumour activity of BL-B01D1 in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumours. METHODS: This first-in-human, open-label, multicentre, dose-escalation and dose-expansion phase 1 trial was conducted in seven hospitals in China, enrolling patients aged 18-75 years (dose escalation; phase 1a) or older than 18 years (dose expansion; phase 1b), with a life expectancy of at least 3 months, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, and histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic solid tumours that had progressed on current standard treatment. In the phase 1a i3+3 design, patients received intravenous BL-B01D1 at three different schedules: 0·27 mg/kg, 1·5 mg/kg, and 3·0 mg/kg weekly; 2·5 mg/kg, 3·0 mg/kg, and 3·5 mg/kg on days 1 and 8 of each cycle every 3 weeks; or 5·0 mg/kg and 6·0 mg/kg on day 1 of each cycle every 3 weeks. The primary objectives of phase 1a were to identify the safety, maximum tolerated dose, and dose-limiting toxicity. In phase 1b, patients were treated in two schedules: 2·5 and 3·0 mg/kg on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks, or 4·5, 5·0, and 6·0 mg/kg on day 1 every 3 weeks. The primary objectives of phase 1b were to assess the safety and recommended phase 2 dose of BL-B01D1, and objective response rate was a key secondary endpoint. Safety was analysed in all patients with safety records who received at least one dose of BL-B01D1. Antitumour activity was assessed in the activity analysis set which included all patients who received at least one dose of BL-B01D1 every 3 weeks. This trial is registered with China Drug Trials, CTR20212923, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05194982, and recruitment is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Dec 8, 2021, and March 13, 2023, 195 patients (133 [65%] men and 62 [32%] women; 25 in phase 1a and 170 in phase 1b) were consecutively enrolled, including 113 with non-small-cell lung cancer, 42 with nasopharyngeal carcinomas, 13 with small-cell lung cancer, 25 with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, one with thymic squamous cell carcinoma, and one with submandibular lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma. In phase 1a, four dose-limiting toxicities were observed (two at 3·0 mg/kg weekly and two at 3·5 mg/kg on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks; all were febrile neutropenia), thus the maximum tolerated dose was reached at 3·0 mg/kg on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks and 6·0 mg/kg on day 1 every 3 weeks. Grade 3 or worse treatment-related adverse events occurred in 139 (71%) of 195 patients; the most common of which were neutropenia (91 [47%]), anaemia (76 [39%]), leukopenia (76 [39%]), and thrombocytopenia (63 [32%]). 52 (27%) patients had a dose reduction and five (3%) patients discontinued treatment due to treatment-related adverse events. One patient was reported as having interstitial lung disease. Treatment-related deaths occurred in three (2%) patients (one due to pneumonia, one due to septic shock, and one due to myelosuppression). In 174 patients evaluated for activity, median follow-up was 6·9 months (IQR 4·5-8·9) and 60 (34%; 95% CI 27-42) patients had an objective response. INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest that BL-B01D1 has preliminary antitumour activity in extensively and heavily treated advanced solid tumours with an acceptable safety profile. Based on the safety and antitumour activity data from both phase 1a and 1b, 2·5 mg/kg on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks was selected as the recommended phase 2 dose in Chinese patients. FUNDING: Sichuan Baili Pharmaceutical. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Linvoseltamab for Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

PURPOSE: We present a phase I/II first-in-human trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of 50 mg and 200 mg doses of linvoseltamab, a B-cell maturation antigen × CD3 bispecific antibody in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). METHODS: Phase II eligible patients had RRMM that either progressed on/after ≥three lines of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor (PI), an immunomodulatory drug (IMiD), and an anti-CD38 antibody or was triple-class (PI/IMiD/anti-CD38) refractory. Phase II treatment was once a week through week 14 and then once every 2 weeks. Phase II 200 mg patients who achieved a ≥very good partial response by week 24 received linvoseltamab once every 4 weeks. The primary end point in phase II was overall response rate (ORR). RESULTS: Among the 117 patients treated with 200 mg, the median age was 70 years, 39% had high-risk cytogenetics, and 28% had penta-refractory disease. At a median follow-up of 14.3 months, the ORR was 71%, with 50% achieving ≥complete response (CR). In 104 patients treated with 50 mg at a median follow-up of 7.4 months, the ORR was 48%, with 21% achieving ≥CR. The median duration of response (DOR) for 200 mg patients (n = 83) was 29.4 months (95% CI, 19.2 to not evaluable). Among 200 mg patients, the most common adverse events included cytokine release syndrome (35.0% Gr1, 10.3% Gr2, 0.9% Gr3), neutropenia (0.9% Gr2, 18.8% Gr3, 23.1% Gr4), and anemia (3.4% Gr1, 4.3% Gr2, 30.8% Gr3). Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome occurred in 7.7% of patients (2.6% each Gr1, Gr2, Gr3). Infections were reported in 74.4% of patients (33.3% Gr3, 2.6% Gr4); infection frequency and severity declined over time. CONCLUSION: Linvoseltamab 200 mg induced deep and durable responses, with a median DOR of 29.4 months, in patients with RRMM with an acceptable safety profile.

Clinical Pharmacology Strategies for Bispecific Antibody Development: Learnings from FDA-Approved Bispecific Antibodies in Oncology.

Bispecific antibodies, by enabling the targeting of more than one disease-associated antigen or engaging immune effector cells, have both advantages and challenges compared with a combination of two different biological products. As of December 2023, there are 11 U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved BsAb products on the market. Among these, 9 have been approved for oncology indications, and 8 of these are CD3 T-cell engagers. Clinical pharmacology strategies, including dose-related strategies, are critical for bispecific antibody development. This analysis reviewed clinical studies of all approved bispecific antibodies in oncology and identified dose-related perspectives to support clinical dose optimization and regulatory approvals, particularly in the context of the Food and Drug Administration's Project Optimus: (1) starting doses and dose ranges in first-in-human studies; (2) dose strategies including step-up doses or full doses for recommended phase 2 doses or dose level(s) used for registrational intent; (3) restarting therapy after dose delay; (4) considerations for the introduction of subcutaneous doses; (5) body weight vs. flat dosing strategy; and (6) management of immunogenicity. The learnings arising from this review are intended to inform successful strategies for future bispecific antibody development.

[Patient with TNBC with early relapse within 12 months from adjuvant treatment.] / Paziente affetta da TNBC con ricaduta precoce entro 12 mesi dal trattamento adiuvante.

Triple negative disease, defined by a lack of tumor cell expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2, remains to date the worst prognosis subtype and especially in metastatic disease triple negative breast cancer is still un unmet clinical need. However, even in this setting, now we can use new drugs such as immunotherapy and antibodies drug conjugated to improve outcome. Particularly, sacituzumab govitecan is the first Ab drug conjugated demonstrating a significant improvement in terms of overall and progression free survival in patients affected by metastatic TNBC pretreated with 2-3 previous lines of therapy.

Safety and tolerability of AMG 330 in adults with relapsed/refractory AML: a phase 1a dose-escalation study.

AMG 330, a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE®) that binds CD33 and CD3 on T cells facilitates T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity against CD33+ cells. This first-in-human, open-label, dose-escalation study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary efficacy of AMG 330 in adults with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML). Amongst 77 patients treated with AMG 330 (0.5 µg/day-1.6 mg/day) on 14-day or 28-day cycles, maximum tolerated dose was not reached; median duration of treatment was 29 days. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were cytokine release syndrome (CRS; 78%) and rash (30%); 10% of patients experienced grade 3/4 CRS. CRS was mitigated with stepwise dosing of AMG 330, prophylactic dexamethasone, and early treatment with tocilizumab. Among 60 evaluable patients, eight achieved complete remission or morphologic leukemia-free state; of the 52 non-responders, 37% had ≥50% reduction in AML bone marrow blasts. AMG 330 is a promising CD33-targeted therapeutic strategy for R/R AML.

Ivonescimab Plus Chemotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With EGFR Variant: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: For patients with non-small cell lung cancer whose disease progressed while receiving EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) therapy, particularly third-generation TKIs, optimal treatment options remain limited. Objective: To compare the efficacy of ivonescimab plus chemotherapy with chemotherapy alone for patients with relapsed advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) variant. Design, Setting, and Participants: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, phase 3 trial at 55 sites in China enrolled participants from January 2022 to November 2022; a total of 322 eligible patients were enrolled. Interventions: Participants received ivonescimab (n = 161) or placebo (n = 161) plus pemetrexed and carboplatin once every 3 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by maintenance therapy of ivonescimab plus pemetrexed or placebo plus pemetrexed. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population assessed by an independent radiographic review committee (IRRC) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. The results of the first planned interim analysis are reported. Results: Among 322 enrolled patients in the ivonescimab and placebo groups, the median age was 59.6 vs 59.4 years and 52.2% vs 50.9% of patients were female. As of March 10, 2023, median follow-up time was 7.89 months. Median progression-free survival was 7.1 (95% CI, 5.9-8.7) months in the ivonescimab group vs 4.8 (95% CI, 4.2-5.6) months for placebo (difference, 2.3 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.46 [95% CI, 0.34-0.62]; P < .001). The prespecified subgroup analysis showed progression-free survival benefit favoring patients receiving ivonescimab over placebo across almost all subgroups, including patients whose disease progressed while receiving third-generation EGFR-TKI therapy (HR, 0.48 [95% CI 0.35-0.66]) and those with brain metastases (HR, 0.40 [95% CI, 0.22-0.73]). The objective response rate was 50.6% (95% CI, 42.6%-58.6%) with ivonescimab and 35.4% (95% CI, 28.0%-43.3%) with placebo (difference, 15.6% [95% CI, 5.3%-26.0%]; P = .006). The median overall survival data were not mature; at data cutoff, 69 patients (21.4%) had died. Grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 99 patients (61.5%) in the ivonescimab group vs 79 patients (49.1%) in the placebo group, the most common of which were chemotherapy-related. Grade 3 or higher immune-related adverse events occurred in 10 patients (6.2%) in the ivonescimab group vs 4 (2.5%) in the placebo group. Grade 3 or higher vascular endothelial growth factor-related adverse events occurred in 5 patients (3.1%) in the ivonescimab group vs 4 (2.5%) in the placebo group. Conclusions: Ivonescimab plus chemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival with tolerable safety profile in TKI-treated non-small cell lung cancer. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05184712.

Bispecific antibodies in the treatment of relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma.

INTRODUCTION: The management of relapsed and/or refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) has witnessed dramatic changes in the recent past. Despite the availability of multiple novel immunotherapies in R/R setting, there remains an unmet need for off-the-shelf therapies, particularly in patients with primary refractory, multiply relapsed disease or those experiencing cellular immunotherapy failure. To harness the power of the T-cell mediated immunity, a novel class of drugs called bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have been developed. These BsAbs are currently under investigation both in frontline and R/R setting and hold the potential to revolutionize the management of LBCL. AREAS COVERED: This review article summarizes the currently available BsAbs, their mode of action, efficacy, and safety data for untreated and R/R LBCL. In addition, the role of these BsAbs in combination with currently available chemoimmunotherapy regimens is also discussed. EXPERT OPINION: Two BsAbs have secured FDA approval for R/R LBCL, with expected approval of more BsAbs (including in earlier treatment lines). These drugs provide a highly efficacious and relatively safe treatment option for patients with highly pretreated disease including relapse after cellular immunotherapies. In addition, these BsAbs provide a platform for chemotherapy-free regimen for older/frail patients.

Cadonilimab with chemotherapy in HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 1b/2 COMPASSION-04 trial.

Treatment with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy and chemotherapy prolongs the survival of patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. The benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy is enriched in patients with programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS)-positive or CPS-high tumors compared with patients with PD-L1 CPS-negative or CPS-low tumors. In this phase 1b/2 study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of cadonilimab, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative unresectable advanced or metastatic gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma. The primary endpoint was the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) for phase 1b and the objective response rate for phase 2. Secondary endpoints included disease control rate, duration of response, time to response, progression-free survival, overall survival (OS) and safety. The primary endpoint was met. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed during dose escalation in phase 1b; the recommended phase 2 dose was determined as 6 mg kg-1 every 2 weeks. The objective response rate was 52.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 41.6-62.5), consisting of complete and partial responses in 4.3% and 47.9% of patients, respectively. The median duration of response, progression-free survival and OS were 13.73 months (95% CI = 7.79-19.12), 8.18 months (95% CI = 6.67-10.48) and 17.48 months (95% CI = 12.35-26.55), respectively. The median OS in patients with a PD-L1 CPS ≥ 5 was 20.32 months (95% CI = 4.67-not estimable); in patients with a PD-L1 CPS < 1, the median OS reached 17.64 months (95% CI = 11.63-31.70). The most common treatment-related grade 3 or higher adverse events were decreased neutrophil count (19.1%), decreased platelet count (16.0%), anemia (12.8%) and decreased leukocyte count (8.5%). No new safety signal was identified. The current regimen showed promising clinical activity and manageable safety in patients with gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma regardless of PD-L1 expression. Chinadrugtrials.org.cn registration: CTR20182027.

CEA-CD3 bispecific antibody cibisatamab with or without atezolizumab in patients with CEA-positive solid tumours: results of two multi-institutional Phase 1 trials.

Cibisatamab is a bispecific antibody-based construct targeting carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) on tumour cells and CD3 epsilon chain as a T-cell engager. Here we evaluated cibisatamab for advanced CEA-positive solid tumours in two open-label Phase 1 dose-escalation and -expansion studies: as a single agent with or without obinutuzumab in S1 (NCT02324257) and with atezolizumab in S2 (NCT02650713). Primary endpoints were safety, dose finding, and pharmacokinetics in S1; safety and dose finding in S2. Secondary endpoints were anti-tumour activity (including overall response rate, ORR) and pharmacodynamics in S1; anti-tumour activity, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in S2. S1 and S2 enrolled a total of 149 and 228 patients, respectively. Grade ≥3 cibisatamab-related adverse events occurred in 36% of S1 and 49% of S2 patients. The ORR was 4% in S1 and 7% in S2. In S2, patients with microsatellite stable colorectal carcinoma (MSS-CRC) given flat doses of cibisatamab and atezolizumab demonstrated an ORR of 14%. In S1 and S2, 40% and 52% of patients, respectively, developed persistent anti-drug antibodies (ADAs). ADA appearance could be mitigated by obinutuzumab-pretreatment, with 8% of patients having persistent ADAs. Overall, cibisatamab warrants further exploration in immunotherapy combination strategies for MSS-CRC.